


Pink Camellias and Daffodils

by Fool_Arcana



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: ATLUS can eat a dick, Akira is a very busy man, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Anal Sex, And it’ll make sense because he’s not a sociopath, Fluff and Angst, Goro has a thing for tattoos, Goro's got anger issues, He's always going to be Akira, I'm a slut for flower language akeshu, I’m making Goro’s mom alive and loving because he needs happiness, Kind of a mystery thing for fun, LOTS OF BLUSHING GORO FUCK, Language of Flowers, Lots of fantasies on Goro’s side tbh, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Sex Toys, Sexting, it physically hurt to tag it with Amamiya Ren, rated for language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-04-08 06:41:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 25,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14099511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fool_Arcana/pseuds/Fool_Arcana
Summary: Flowers begin appearing on Goro Akechi's desk, locker, and even in the Student Council Room, but who could be sending them?Inappropriate scenes will be marked with ‘***’ for those who wish to skip them.





	1. Gloxinia

**Author's Note:**

> I need to be stopped. I need to finish other things, but new ideas are all over the place! Ugh!! Anyway, I'm back!

   Mornings at Shujin Academy would always carry the hushes whispers and malicious stares, never changing no matter the weather or day. Goro Akechi had grown used to it, finally making it to third year without so much as a citation on his perfect record. The whispers about him were usually rumors that no one ever took to heart, quite a contrast to some of the other students. Ryuji Sakamoto, for example, had nasty rumors about him even after Makoto Niijima deemed him worthy of her friendship. Goro sighed, shaking his umbrella and wiping his dress shoes before stepping inside. "Goro-kun," Makoto waved a hand in front of his face, "You're zoning out again, are you alright?"

   "Of course," he smiled, "I'm just a bit tired and worried about the upcoming test." She laughed, brushing hair behind her ear. They often walked to school together, chatted about everything. Goro considered her a good friend, his only friend, really. "Something tells me that today is going to be interesting."

   "I'll assume that's a good thing," said Makoto, "Oh, we have a Student Council meeting today after school about motivating students to get better grades. I need my Vice President there to have my back." Goro nodded, slipping money into the vending machine for a snack. "Would you like to walk around?" 

   "Of course--Oof!" Goro crashed right into a person, making them both stumble to the ground in front of everyone. Whispers broke out, filling Goro's ears with useless gossip. He crushed the snack in his fist. Makoto and the person sounded like they spoke through a fishbowl under the violent ringing in his ears. He wanted to scream and yell at everyone to shut up, to just take their comments and shove them up their ass! The person he had bumped into was holding out a hand, a small frown on his face. The person wore thick glasses, slightly obscured by the unruly curls on his head. 

   "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there!" The words finally processed in Goro's pounding head, cutting through the muffler of rage. He took the stranger's--no, it was Kurusu Akira, the school's resident fuck-up, best friend of Sakamoto and close to Makoto--hand, accepting the help with a fake smile. "Oh, god, your cake got crushed. Can I buy you another one?" Goro frowned at the cake. He had wanted to eat that. Before he could answer, Kurusu was already rushing towards the vending machine, putting his own money in to buy Goro another cake. Goro was still shaking by the time Kurusu returned, beaming at him and holding out the triple-layer chocolate fudge brownie cake.

   "Thank you, Kurusu-kun, though you didn't need to do that," offered Goro, keeping up the pleasant facade. He wanted to speak again, but the whispering was still in the back of his mind, still, the crowd whispered and gawked, pushing themselves against the walls and hiding their sinister grins behind their hands. No. No, Goro could not go through another issue with school, he could not allow it. 

  "I'll, uh, see you around." Kurusu was quick to make his escape. The crowd part for him, not wanting to be corrupted by criminal germs. Oh, how Goro wished they would try to stay away from him like that! He was tired of walking in a crowd and getting groped by classmates. His ass was meant to be off-limits! Goro barely took the time to watch him leave, dragging Makoto into away from the crowd with his head held high. If anyone in the newspaper club, a cesspool for spreading gossip, took pictures of him and Kurusu, he doubted that he would be able to control his outburst. 

   "Goro-kun," Makoto said, "You looked hellish back there, like you were about to start swinging. Are you okay?"

   "Yes," he lied, "It just irritates me when gossip is made up over nothing." Makoto furrowed her brows, frowning at Goro. She let it go, though, because she knew he would never disclose it if she pushed. He took a seat on one of the benches, keeping his posture straight as he talked to Makoto. "I hate this school." 

   She hadn't expected that. Goro never said anything outright negative, sure, he said many passive-aggressive things, but he always said it in a tone so sweet that nobody could say anything. "I have to agree," Makoto mumbled, "All that goes on here is corruption and gossip, but there are a few people who are good. Like you." Goro scoffed, glaring around before slouching. Makoto, once again, did not expect that at all.

   Goro didn't respond, only stood when the bell rang and flashed a smile. Makoto clenched her teeth at the sight of his mask being slipped back on so easily. They had class together on the first floor, though they sat on opposite sides as 'A' and 'N' were far apart in the alphabet. "What the hell is that?" Goro asked, strolling over to his desk and picking up the flower. "Makoto, do you know who left this?" The girl shook her head, taking it into her hands. "Why would someone leave this?"

   "Um, here, may I snap a photo? Akira knows a lot more about flowers than I do, so he may know if the person had a message they wanted to say. Flower language is pretty romantic, isn't it?" Makoto took a quick picture. It was red with a harsh white outer line on the petals. Goro twirled it around in his fingers, inspecting it closely. "Akira says it's a gloxinia and it means 'love at first sight'. He says you probably have an admirer." Makoto was frowning, but Goro didn't bother asking. The student council president read the message over and over, reading Akira's words carefully.

  _Akira Kurusu: Gloxinias are hard to get out of season_

_Akira Kurusu: I hope he likes them_

_Akira Kurusu: It took months to get here but it's okay if he throws it away_

_Akira Kurusu: Don't tell him though_

  Makoto internally groaned. Why couldn't Akira put his thoughts into one message? She sent a disappointed emoticon, looking back at Goro. He had a look in his eyes that confused her, he didn't look angry or happy or... really anything. What was he thinking? "Goro-kun," Makoto nudged him, "Don't overthink it. I'm sure whoever gave it to you is too shy to say anything and they'll come forward eventually."

   "Perhaps," he muttered, turning to her with his perfect smile, "Let's just leave it. I'll put it somewhere others can't see." He stuffed the flower into his bag, crushing the petals and snapping the stem in half, but Makoto didn't need to know that. He took his seat, placing his books on the desk and waiting for the other students and teacher to arrive. The flower was going to die anyway. Goro didn't like to prolong the inevitable. 

   Goro couldn't pay attention. There were many girls and guys who would give him flowers, but he easily ruled out a majority of them. Makoto said that flowers have meanings and that flower had a meaning to it, so a lot of Shujin students wouldn't bother finding a flower that had a meaning outside of red roses and whatever was available at the flower shop. Gloxinias weren't exactly common in the stores, so the person would have had to plan it in advance and make an order that could take a while. This was premeditated, meaning that the suspects were of someone he had met in the timespan of getting the flower ordered and delivered. He decided to run by the flower shop after school to ask about it. The one in Shibuya Underground was the closest.

   "Akechi-kun, are you paying attention?"

   Goro's eyes shot to the teacher, his face wrinkled into a scowl. "I apologize, sir, I haven't been myself today." The man grunted as students began whispering about it. Goro wanted to shut his ears and slam his head against the table until he blacked out.

    _"What's wrong with Akechi-san?"_

_"Maybe Kurusu poisoned him?!"_

_"He_ did  _seem friendly with him! Oh, god, maybe Kurusu has influenced him!"_

Goro just shut his eyes for a moment, taking deep breaths. His mother wanted to re-enroll him in anger management classes once they moved, but he told her it'd be fine. Goro was starting to think that it would be a good idea. He looked to Makoto, her head was buried in the textbook, hand diligently taking notes as the class settled. It couldn't go by any faster than it did. "Fucking finally," Goro whispered once the bell rang. He was out of his seat and going to Makoto. "Apologies, Makoto-san, I can't attend the meeting today as I promised to spend a day with my mother." 

   "Oh, that's alright, I'll just give you my collected papers tomorrow." Sometimes, Goro was frightened with his ability to lie. Well, it wasn't as if it was a lie, he just didn't tell the whole truth. He loved spending time with his mother. He smiled at her, taking up his things and going straight to the entrance. He didn't even bother glancing at his fake fans and admirers. It was easy to slither through the crowd, getting onto his train and taking up a seat.

   "Akechi-san, it's quite a coincidence that you're here." Kurusu took the seat next to him, setting his half-open bag on his lap and grinning at Goro. "You look serious, what's up? Is it about your secret admirer?" Goro rolled his eyes. "Oh, it is! It was a gloxinia, yes? Those aren't in season, so they're hard to come by. This person must really love you to pay the money and wait the months it would take."

   "You seem to know a lot about flowers," Goro finally said, "Perhaps you can help me figure out who it is." 

   "I'd be glad to, Akechi-san," he laughed, "I work at the flower shop in the Underground Mall, so come visit anytime with any questions... Wait, here, put your number and chat ID into my phone." Kurusu thrust the phone into Goro's hands. The older boy tried not to fumble, just put in the information and let Kurusu do the same. Kurusu reached into his bag, stroking something inside. Goro ignored him, looking down at the new information in his phone. He would be of use in finding out who sent him the gloxinia.

   "I'll just let be for now," Goro said, "I don't believe it will happen again, though."

   "I doubt that. Someone waited months together that flower, so it'll probably happen again." Kurusu's face was unreadable. He just stared over at Goro, waiting for him to talk, respond to the newfound truth. 

   "I suppose that's true."

   Goro would find out who took that time. After all, he didn't spend years working under Sae Niijima for nothing. Really, he had no intention to be with this ‘admirer’, his curiosity just gets the better of him. 


	2. Gardenia

   The next morning was worse than the last. Goro stayed up all night, again, watching reruns of Phoenix Ranger Featherman while he did his copious amount of homework. He couldn’t be bothered to think about yesterday, believing that it would never happen again. 

   Goro got fan gifts all the time. He had girls and guys confessing to him every day, even out of school, giving him letters and candies hoping to win his love, but they were always turned down. Though, there was another issue with that day. Goro was exhausted, even more so than he was normally, but when he got stopped and questioned by random guard cops about his qualifications on being a detective on his way to school...

   Goro was pissed. 

   Everyone decided to stay out of his way, barely whispering. He was known to be hard to anger, but would not have it when he was. That was a lie. He was easy to piss off, hard to calm, but he didn’t blow up that easy. Even Makoto stayed out of his way, opting to spend the morning with Takamaki and her girlfriend, Suzui. 

   Goro went over to the bathroom, scaring out any lingering boys to get privacy. Deep breaths, deep breaths. He breathed through clenched teeth as he gripped the sink. He’ll show them all how qualified he was. How dare he? Goro has busted more criminals than that guy, fucking patrolling the street for any kids who wanted to skip. Who was he to tell an ace detective that he wasn’t qualified?! Goro glared into his reflection, resisting the urge to punch straight through the glass. He settled for the tiled wall, bashing his fist into it until his knuckles turned a bright red and skin split to bleed. 

   It was fine. He was fine. He was a calm, collected upperclassman who had everything a student wanted. Goro took more breaths. He decided to camp out in his classroom.

   Goro froze when he entered, the rage pushed out by curiosity. Twi white flowers were laid on his desk, tied at the stems with a heart-patterned ribbon. He approached it cautiously, fingers grasping them with delicacy. Another flower? Clearly, they were skilled enough to get into a locked classroom without being seen. Only the President and Vice President had keys and the sender was obviously not Makoto. 

   Okay, that narrowed it down. The person would either need to have a bad teacher or know how to pick locks. There were quite a few people who could qualify, but none would even think about flower ‘language’ to woo Goro. They couldn’t possibly be scared of his anger or else they would skip today, nor could they be brave or they would have brought it to him. 

   Wait. Goro looked at the flowers, narrowing his eyes. What if the person decided to rile him up. He loved a good mystery. Maybe they were close to him or close to a friend of his. 

   He sent a quick photo to Kurusu. Goro sat in his seat, spinning the flowers between his fingers. What would he do with them? Throwing them away was like tossing out evidence, but keeping them felt like an acceptance. What to do, what to do. 

    _Kurusu Akira: Gardenias, secret love_

_Akechi Goro: Thank you, I do hope that I’ll be able to solve this soon._

_Kurusu Akira: Np_

   It was odd. Romantic flowers from a complete stranger. Takamaki would call it romantic, a detective solving the mystery of love. Ridiculous. 

~~~

   After class, Goro went straight to his fan club. It was one of the most populated clubs and it was... creepy. His pictures were lined on the wall, hearts drawn over his face and cupid arrows piercing a few of them. The club president beamed at him, eyes seeming to sparkle. "Akechi-san! Oh, how wonderful it is that you came!"

   "I wanted you ask you a question," he said. The girl nodded, eyes big as she waited. At least she wasn't as cray as most of her members, or perhaps she was faking it. "Someone has been leaving flowers on my desk anonymously for the past two days and I wanted to ask if you would ask your members if any of them have been doing it." 

   "Oh, of course, but I doubt it's them," she giggled, "We have a pledge to make sure our confessions are open and brave, but I will ask for you. My name's Rena, find me tomorrow?" Goro wanted to cringe, spending time with the president of his fan club made his skin crawl, but he nodded with a picture-perfect smile. He would only need the answer and then he would never have to see her again. 

~~~

   Goro found himself wanted into the Underground Mall of Shibuya, mindlessly stepping into the flower shop with the bagged gardenia clutched in his hand. “Akechi-san, what brings you here?” Goro’s dead eyes focused on the man behind the counter—curly black hair... glasses... stupid smirk... Kurusu. 

   “Ah, I forgot that you worked here.“ Goro would have skipped the shop to avoid talking to anybody if he had remembered. He hated talking to people, always wanted to sit in his dark apartment proving to everyone that he was better than them. 

   “I work at a lot of places. You like coffee? Beef bowls? Bags of chips?“ Kurusu leaned his forearms on the table, exposed my the rolled up sleeves to show a black tattoo. It was of a masked silhouette in a top hat and high collar. 

   Goro suppressed a groan. God, he loved tattoos. “Um.” Did his brain shut off? “Uh, yah, cof-coffee is one of my favorite things, but I don’t, uh, don’t really have much time for beef bowls.” Did Kurusu have more tattoos? 

   “Come by Leblanc, then! It’s in the back streets of Yongen-Jaya. Leblanc has the best coffee in all of Japan!” Kurusu grinned, arms outstretched dramatically. Another piece of black ink peeked from underneath the sleeve and Goro couldn’t look away. 

   Kurusu followed his gaze and rolled the sleeve up more. A joker playing card on top of two aces. “I’ve got a few, actually,” he smirked, rubbing at the ink, “I’ll have to show you sometime.”

   “Um, sounds—sounds good,” Goro smiles, trying to regain his composure. Normally, he would only admire tattoos, but Kurusu pulled them off so nicely that he wanted to squirm. “Leblanc, I’ll come by soon if the coffee is as good as you say.”

   “As much as I love seeing you here,” Kurusu smirked again, “What brings you to the flower shop?”

   “The gardenia,” Goro dropped the baggie on the counter, “I was hoping for more information rather than the meaning.” Kurusu nodded, face scrunched as he stared at the flower. A few petals had fallen off, but it was otherwise intact. 

   “They’re actually in season right now,” he said, “So it wouldn’t be very hard to just walk in and get some. Unfortunately, we haven’t had many sales in gardenias the past few days, so I’m not much help in the receipts.”

   “I see,” Goro nodded, “Are there any other flower shops nearby?”

   “In Shinjuku’s red-light district.” Kurusu spun his silver ring around his middle finger, relaxed as he bent over the counter. “It’s a bit more expensive, but they should have some gardenias there. I know the lady, so I could send her a message and let you know if any names correspond with Gloxinia orders.”

   “Thank you very much, Kurusu-san,” Goro smiles again, “I’d be lost without your expertise.”

   “No problem. Don’t forget you can call me Akira,” he winked. Goro clenched his jaw, keeping the tight-lipped smile in place. “See you around, though. Come by Leblanc anytime, I’m there every day.”


	3. Austrian Rose

   Time always felt slow, like nothing was going anywhere because everything was going somewhere. It felt like there was no meaning to the mundane drag of mornings and bustling streets that gave the impression of belonging. It made Goro feel lonelier, standing alone as everyone talked to each other in passing, laughing, smiling. 

   He was grotesque, undeserving of affection, so he never protested when someone left his side because they saw another person. Someone better than him, someone worth their time rather than all they can get. So, Goro stood on the platform, waiting for his train to school. 

   “I didn’t know we had the same train,” said a voice in passing, oddly close for a passerby. Goro didn’t bother looking up. Who would want to speak to him? “Akechi-San? I know you can hear me.” 

   That was when Goro saw Kurusu standing there, a big, goofy grin on his face. “Good morning, Kurusu-San, I’ve just been a tad bit distracted as of late.” Yeah, lie, lie just as he had been for his whole life. Why would Kurusu come up and talk to him as if they were friends? 

   “You know, Makoto, Haru, Ann, and our friend group are going to the beach this weekend, would you like to come?” Goro blinked—usually, the thought of going to such a crowded place, wearing clothing unsuitable to hide much made Goro want to crawl in a blanket burrito and die, but Makoto would be angry if she found out he refused a proposal. 

   “I may be able to spare some time in my schedule,” Goro finally said, “So I hope to see you then.” Kurusu full on _beamed_ at him, so brightly that Goro thought he would need sunglasses. Kurusu was such an enigma. Goro couldn’t read what his intentions were, could never see what he really meant behind his eyes. Oh, what if Kurusu had more tattoos?

   It was no surprise that the delinquent sported ink, but where would he go if he was underage? Goro hadn’t been to the beach since his mother dropped him off in Tokyo for school. 

   Another teen bounded up to them, a giant grin on his face when he landed in front of Kurusu. “‘Sup dude! I got news that the arcade on Central Street is unriggin’ the claw machines. We should totally go!” Ah, Sakamoto showed up, so Kurusu would most likely walk with him rather than Goro. Not that he cared or anything. 

   “Let’s go after school. Hey, Akechi-San, do you want to come with us?”

   Goro’s heart stopped. Another invitation so soon? He shook his head with a smile. “I appreciate the invitation, but I have plans to spend time with my mother.” Was that his go-to? He’d need to stop lest Makoto catches on. Though, these were teenage boys, so there was a chance that they wouldn’t react like Makoto’s empathetic nature forced her to. 

   “I feel ya,” Sakamoto said, “My mom’s pretty busy a lotta the time, so sometimes I gotta ditch the Th—group hang outs to help her out. Get some time soon, ‘kay?” Goro nodded stiffly. “Train’s here. Let’s hurry and try to grab some seats.”

   Goro almost laughed at the sight of the two most notorious delinquents squished together on oneseat because neither wanted to stand. “Bad leg!” Sakamoto had argued, but Kurusu always countered with a loud “I’m lazy!”. Goro busied himself with his phone, checking his twitter, watching Snapchat stories, just like every other normal teenage boy. 

   “You’re third year, right?” Sakamoto asked over Kurusu, staring right at Goro. He nodded, not bothering to look up. “Didja ever have Ushumaru?”

   “Unfortunately, why?” He looked up this time, got to see Sakamoto’s face brighten. 

   “He’s a real ball buster, aye? God, I look away in his class one time and he throws chalk? He hit Akira pretty hard on the first day!” Sakamoto laughed, poking fun at the expense of his best friend. Weren’t hey meant to be nice to each other?

   “I had to clean chalk out of my nostrils for months,” cried Akira, breaking into a smirk, “Oh, Akechi-san’s going to the beach with us!”

   “Really? Cool!”

The trip had gone faster than Goro expected, speeding over bumps and barely giving time for views. It was a bullet train, but it just felt faster. It could have been the laughing he heard, could have been the sound of Sakamoto needing a napkin to wipe apple juice off of his face after Kurusu slapped it against his mouth.

Goro never felt so included.

Were they on something? Why were they so insistent on including him? Inviting Goro Akechi places was not uncommon, but it was never for a ‘friendly’ outing, even less a group outing. He never really cared enough to make friends, never much for a crowd despite his desperate attempts of attention and care.

It was like a cloud finally settled over Goro’s head when he stepped off the train, draining the little amount of inclusion he felt. The two delinquents walked into the school building, disappearing into the parting crowd without any hint of fear. Goro just stood and waited by the entrance.

He took the time to reflect. Never in his life had anyone invited him on a group outing that; never in his life did he get to watch two people interact and not feel envious. What was Kurusu doing? He was obviously up to something, had a plan of some sort. Why else would he be so friendly to Goro? He must have some sort of agenda.

“You’re here early, Goro-chan.” Her voice was unmistakable. Okumura Haru was the sweetest girl in school, President of the gardening club, Makoto’s crush, and the closest thing Goro ever got to a best friend. “I was heading up to the roof for my garden, do you want to join me?”

“I’d love to,” Goro said. She was only one allowed to address him like that as she looked heartbroken when Goro denied it at first. He couldn’t be heartless towards Haru. “Has Makoto-san told you about the flowers being left on my desk?” Haru paused for a moment, face brightening up.

“Oh, yes! It’s very romantic that someone would buy flowers for you. I do hope you find out who it is very soon!” She kept up the smile, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Do you have any suspects?”

“I’ve asked the president of my fan club to ask her members, but I’m clueless otherwise. Kurusu-kun says that he will check the receipts for any purchases that link between the two flower shops they could be using.” Goro held the door open for Haru, exposing the small set of gardens she had.

“Could you grab the fertilizer from the closet? I have to start the watering and then we can go get some breakfast!” Goro nodded, walking over to where she pointed. The fertilizer was near the door, half empty and torn open carelessly as if by amateurs.

Haru probably had other people, friends, who helped her out with the garden. What person would rip open a bag from the side instead of the top? Goro dragged it from the closet, careful not to let it spill all over the ground. He regretted offering his help.

“Oh, dear, I forgot that Ryuji opened it wrong. Don’t worry about spilling it, it can just be swept up.” Goro wasn’t even surprised that Sakamoto had been the one to maim the bag, tearing it up like some hooligan. 

   He dropped the fertilizer at Haru’s feet, watching a few clumps fall and crumble. “Akira-kun told me you were joining us for the beach. I’m so glad!” Goro’s heart jumped. What the hell?

   “I’ve never been, so I assumed it would be a good experience,” he smiled. It was too easy to slip back into who he used to be, but Haru’s big smile made him feel like even more shit for it. How could he be such a disgraceful monster? “I should head to class, I’ll see you.”

   Goro never rushed out of somewhere that fast before, barely managing to button his jacket and nearly walking past the nearest sink. What was he so eager to get to? Why did his heart do that? Oh no, was he getting sick?! “It’s fine,” he mumbled into the mirror, “Just last the rest of the day and you can nap and it’ll be all better...”

The second Goro stepped foot in the classroom, all eyes were on him, whispers began to accumulate. It wasn’t out of the ordinary except for the fact that they kept glancing at his desk. Three flowers connected to one stem was laid out on it, the flowers a deep red with yellow at the center. His face felt hot, from embarrassment or anger he couldn’t tell.

He pretended to ignore them, taking a quick picture before placing them into a plastic bag, effectively snapping the stem in half. He couldn’t show any sort of care. “Um, Akechi-kun,” a girl said quietly, stepping up to his desk, “I wanted to ask if the rumors are true about you having a girlfriend or... partner..?”

“They aren’t.” He was smiling, but his voice carried his emotions. She nodded meekly, scampering off to wherever her friends were to gossip. At least she asked.

Makoto paid him no mind, keeping her nose in her textbook for that class. Dammit, Goro thought, they had a test today. He knew he shouldn’t have been focusing on the stupid flowers! It was bad enough that rumors were spreading and now he would have to deal with questions on the test scores.

~~~

Lunch was Goro’s saving grace. The teacher handed back the papers before the end of class, having graded them as they came in. Goro felt like dying.

‘32 F’! He stuffed the folded paper into his pocket. Makoto showed him her 97, offering sympathetic looks when she heard his grade. “It’s not that bad,” she said, “We’ll have more tests.” She was right, of course, but Goro knew what he was feeling. From the race in his heart and tremors in his hand, he could tell that he wanted to hit something. Preferably himself or a wall.

“I’ll be in the restroom, Makoto-san, message me where you and Haru-chan are sitting,” he smiled. Makoto nodded, walking down the stairs to the direction of the courtyard or wherever she intended to go.

All he needed to do was calm down, not get into any fights, and just keep going on like he usually did. Break was coming up soon anyway, so he could fly over to Kiso to visit his mother and take a break from the large population.

Deep breaths, in, out, in... Goro released his last breath, feeling his heart rate slow, but he could still feel it pumping. Quickly, he hit the tiles of the wall, once, twice, three times, four before he finally felt calm again.

“Whoa, Akechi-san, are you good?” Goro turned around, jaw clenched until he saw the fluffy-haired teen standing by the sinks. “Are your hands hurting?”

“No,” he said, flexing his left hand, “I’ve just... always had some anger issues.” He tried laughing it off, keeping his reddish-brown eyes trained on Kurusu’s face. He better not mention it to anyone.

“Maybe you should invest in a stress ball,” Kurusu laughed, “I broke my wrist punching a wall once, so it’d suck for you to do that.” He didn’t ask questions, which Goro appreciated.

“I did in middle school, actually,” Goro said, leaning against the wall he just hit. “I got another flower today, but I haven’t sent it to you.” Kurusu tilted his head, hair flopping over like the ears of a puppy. Goro pulled out the baggie, flower sadly wilting.

“Austrian Rose,” Kurusu smiled, “‘You are all that is lovely’. Your admirer has taste and a way with meaning.” Goro scoffed, wanting to light the damn thing on fire.

“Lovely,” he mumbled, “what bullshit.” Kurusu bit his lip, reaching up and messing with his bangs. “I don’t accept lies.”

“I don’t think it’s a lie,” Kurusu blurted, face turning red right after, “You’re not... you’re not terrible, no, that didn’t come out right. I mean, based on what I can infer from how fake you are, but—wait!” Goro had to bite back a smirk. “You’re... I give up.”

“No, no, keep going,” Goro said, “Watching you fumble makes me feel better.” Kurusu’s face suddenly blanked, a smirk growing in the place of his insecure smile.

“Thanks, honey, I’ll keep it in mind for future reference.” Whoa, where did that come from? He was acting like he had back in the flower shop. Oh, Goro realized what it was, Kurusu knew he was fake because he himself was just like him. Was this the real Kurusu? Perhaps it was only a hook to get the ‘real’ Goro out. Alright, he’d bite.

“It’d be much appreciated, though I don’t think you have the brain capacity to remember it.” Goro’s face was blank, no fake smile, no effort to be pleasant, just his raw face to match Kurusu’s.

“That’s a lot better,” said Kurusu, “I like you better when you aren’t being fake.”

“I like you better when you aren’t talking. You’d be a great model, but I doubt that mouth of yours could be silenced.” What was he doing? There was tension in the air, but Goro could only breathe it in, not change it. His heart was pounding in his ears, but not from anger like normal.

He had to find an escape, so he reverted.

Now smiling, Goro forced his fists to his side. “I rather enjoyed our time, but I have to meet Makoto-san and Haru-chan for lunch.” Kurusu seemed to have reverted too, back to a blank stare and mindless nodding. It was easier to breathe without the tension, easier for Goro to think.

Did he just flirt with a delinquent?


	4. Variegated Tulip

“Goro-chan, I got you some cold green tea and Taiyaki from the machines,” Haru smiled, waving towards Goro’s saved seats. He thanked her, pushing back some hair when he sat down. He sighed, tying back his hair before opening the can of tea. “Mako-chan told me that another flower ended up on your desk.”

“I’d rather not talk about that. Who knows whether or not gossips want to eavesdrop on our conversations.” Goro laughed it off, ensuring that no questions would be asked. Makoto nodded, looking behind Goro.

“Ann, Suzuki-san,” Makoto smiled, “Would you like to join us?” Goro looked up at the blonde girl, then at her ponytailed best friend. The blonde, Takamaki, sat next to Goro while Suzui sat across from her next to Haru.

“You know,” Takamaki grinned, “We hang out a lot, but we still aren’t on a first name basis. So, Goro, you can call me Ann!” Goro blinked at her, staring at her opened hand before grabbing it and shaking.

“Hello, Ann,” he said, “I suppose we’re all close enough to be, um, on a first name basis? Makoto, Haru... Ann, Shiho...”

“Finally!” Makoto sighed, “it feels weird to hear you add honorifics to my name. We’ve known each other since middle school, Goro!” He gave her a small smile, one without any falsehood. He had to tell his mother! She’d be so proud!

“Yeah, I’m glad we can be closer,” Haru said, “Maybe we can go out for karaoke after the beach! Did Akira-kun explain who was going?”

“No, I was only invited.” In a way, Goro was glad he knew that his friends were going. Ann rolled his eyes, snatching up her vending machine cake.

“Well,” Ann said, “It’ll be you, me, Haru, Shiho, Makoto, Ryuji, Futaba, and our friend Yusuke from a different school.” Goro frowned, thinking of who those people were. He just smiled and nodded, pretending to understand. “Yusuke’s a bit... eccentric and Futaba will probably, uhh, interrogate you on TV shows and stuff.”

“Yes! She and Goro would get along great! They both love Phoenix Ranger Featherman!” Haru giggled, watching Goro scowl at her. “Don’t worry, it’ll be a fun trip.”

“Ah shit,” Ann groaned, “I left something in my locker. Come with me, Goro.”

He shrugged. Their lockers were right next to each other, so he could grab some books for class and then go home. Ann, no longer Takamaki, walked by his side, chatting about cakes and a fellow model named Mika.

If Goro was being honest, that Mika model was a bitch and Ann should ruin her, but Ann was a nice person. It wouldn’t be hard to stage a broken heel or trip her in a way that she breaks her knee, but Goro promised himself he would be less... vindictive.

He opened his locker, flinching when a brightly colored bundle of flowers fell into his hands. They looked like tulips, white with vertical red stripes in a group of three. Had the person really broken into his locker? Was anything stolen?! He threw them to the floor, shuffling through his belongings, but everything was still there.

“More flowers?” Ann asked, a small smile hinting at her glossed lips. She swooped down to pick them up, smoothing the petals before handing it back to Goro. “They’re pretty. You should put them in a vase or something.”

“I don’t know how to care for flowers,” Goro said, “that, and I don’t know who is sending them.” Ann laughed, like she knew something Goro didn’t.

“Trust me, some mysteries are meant to stay that way, but maybe this can turn into a beautiful love story!” She slammed her locker door shut, clutching her books and munching on a chocolate bar she found inside. How long had it been in her locker? Nobody knew.

“Whatever, Ann,” he grumbled, “I’ll just take a picture for Kurusu-kun and keep them in an evidence bag.” He placed them back in his locker, taking a picture of them before shutting and locking it. “See? No flowers and no romance.”

“Don’t be so harsh,” she teased, “they could be cute and romantic and—ugh—I love this cuteness overload!” She nearly dropped her books from jumping, but, alas, it was now time for class.

~~~

Two flowers in one day. They were escalating and Goro knew that it could mean a confession sooner or later. Kurusu had messaged him in the middle of class with his answer.

_Kurusu Akira: Variegated tulips_

_Kurusu Akira: Your eyes are beautiful_

_Kurusu Akira: They aren’t really sold much here_

_Kurusu Akira: So it’d have to be ordered in advance_

_Kurusu Akira: I’ll cross check some receipts but there’s not much luck :(((((_

Could he not formulate a large paragraph? Goro cringed when he felt his phone blow up on his leg, but he messaged back anyway.

_Goro Akechi: Thank you very much, Kurusu-kun. I appreciate your help._

_Kurusu Akira: No worries! I love helping!! :)_

_Goro Akechi: I’ll be stopping by Leblanc after school today. Is there any chance we could meet?_

_Kurusu Akira: Yes_

_Kurusu Akira: I work there_

_Kurusu Akira: So I’ll be there_

_Kurusu Akira: Definitely_

_Kurusu Akira: :D_

Goro stuffed his phone back in his pocket, a ghost of a smile on his face. He was... interesting, so friendly despite his reputation, so... so open about himself even though it could cause major backlash. Kurusu, Kurusu, what makes him tick?

Nothing too interesting went on, just some lectures until classes ended. Goro felt a weight leave his shoulders when he dumped the flowers he got that day into the nearest garbage can. It was the weekend tomorrow, so he could experience a beach.

_Goro Akechi: Mom, I followed your advice and I’ve made some friends. They invited me to the beach tomorrow and I’m on a first name basis with them!_

_Momma: Im so proud of you Goro! PleSe have fun!_

_Momma: Please_

_Goro Akechi: Another thing, someone has been leaving me flowers and I don’t know who. I’m getting help from one of my acquaintances and I’ll see him at a coffee shop today._

_Momma: Be safe and make sure he’s a good boy_

_Momma: Send pictures_

Kurusu was bad, but he was good. Goro couldn’t decide what he was, couldn’t see him as being anything besides a bad boy who likes flowers... and cats, he heard. Normally, he didn’t care much to learn about associates, but Kurusu is the exception.

A beach, he had heard great things about beaches and how they were crowded and sandy, but fun and exciting! He would definitely take pictures—oh, Goro had to go swimsuit shopping!

Yongen-Jaya was home to Leblanc, backstreets nearly empty save for a few wandering old people and children. “Pardon me,” Goro smiled at one of the old women, “I’m looking for a café called Leblanc, but I’m unfamiliar to the area.”

“Oh, yes, Sakura-san and his two children are so kind! Just go into there and it’s right on the left across the bathhouse.” She pointed in the direction of an alleyway, to where a small coffee cup sign dangled from a black steel above a door. Of course it was right there.

The aroma of coffee beans hit Goro in the face, the smell of food made his stomach growl. It was drowned by the sound of quiet jazz music and the TV. “Welcome to Leblanc!” The barista wore a green apron, black hair fluffed up and falling over his glasses. “Ah, Akechi-san, what can I start you off with?”

“Um,” Goro looked at the chalkboard menu, “Something sweet?” Kurusu grinned, taking beans off the shelf and walking over to the machine. Goro took a seat at the bar nearest to the door, leaning his head on his hand to watch. He looked really... different from school and the flower shop, looked more at peace than usual.

“I’m glad you showed. It isn’t busy most of the time,” Kurusu said, “It gets boring when Futaba isn’t around to harass me.”

“I’m glad to keep you company, then,” smiled Goro, “I may come by frequently. I like the quiet.” Kurusu grinned from the stove, pouring some ingredients into the pot. What was he making? “What’re you making?”

“Curry. Do you want mild, regular, or spicy?”

“Curry and coffee? What an odd combination. I’ll have mild, so how much do I owe you?” Kurusu only shrugged off Goro’s question.

“It’s on the house, a gift for my dear classmate and new friend.” Friend? They were friends? The curry spelled... really, really good. Goro’s mouth watered when it was brought to him with a steaming cup of coffee. “Enjoy!”

Goro wastes no time deliberating, immediately taking up a spoonful of curry. It was spicy! He coughed, forcing himself to swallow it down despite the burning in his throat. “Too hot?” Kurusu snickered, “I guess you needed less-than-mild, huh?” Goro flared at him, shoving a spoonful into his mouth and holding back a flinch.

“I,” he coughed, “I don’t know what you mean, Kurusu-kun.” The barista laughed, sparking a small amount of anger in Goro. Before he could wallow and make it worse, Kurusu took the bowl and replaced it with a small plate of cake. “What...”

“Haru and Ann have been collaborating to make cakes for Leblanc and they’ve been helping business. Consider this a gift and I’ll eat the curry.” How could Kurusu just be so willing to give up free stuff? Kurusu leaned against the side part of the counter, eating Goro’s food without any kind of wince from the spice.

“Thank you, Kurusu-kun.” Goro’s face felt warm, turning red from what he’d insist was the curry.

“Akechi-san, you can call me Akira, you know. If that makes you uncomfortable, you can drop the honorifics of my last name.” Kurusu watched him, forcing himself to look away before he kept staring. Goro didn’t know much about him enough to be willing to say ‘Akira’, but he could drop the honorific.

“Okay, Kurusu, you can drop the honorific as well. I may be more willing to call you by your first name in the future, but I’ve only just started calling Makoto and Haru by that and I’ve known them since middle school.” He forced out a laugh, sounding nearly genuine.

“I look forward to it, Akechi,” Kurusu said, “How’s the cake?”

“It’s delicious,” Goro flashed another smile, “and the coffee is absolutely amazing.” Kurusu smiled this time, a real one that contrasted Goro’s fake. It made Goro want to scream. How could he be so open yet so closed off at the same time? It was like he knew exactly who he was and didn’t care whether anyone saw his true self under the mask.

“I’m glad,” Kurusu paused for a moment, “Hey, would you like to hang out today? I hear there’s a new game out at the arcade and I’ve been dying to check it out!”

Hang out? Goro pursed his lips, weighing his options. What if he was seen spending time with Kurusu or even Kurusu’s friends? God, he couldn’t think with his heart beating loudly in his ears. Pros and cons, pros and cons... “Yes,” Goro said, immediately biting his lip. Why did he just agree? He wasn’t even thinking. “I’d love to go to the arcade.”

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. Goro watched Kurusu’s face brighten and it seemed like all the cons didn’t matter. “Great. My shift ends in a few minutes, so could you call me down if anyone comes in because I’ll go change!” Kurusu bolted up the stairs, throwing his green apron over his head on the way up.

Goro finished off the cake and coffee, pulling at the leather of his gloves. Too many cons, too many factors ignored. What did he just agree to?!

Briefly, he wondered if the flowers he received were laced. That was the only logical explanation for not thinking. It was either that or... or Goro really didn’t mind what would happen. He couldn’t possibly enjoy spending time with Kurusu? Right? God, Kurusu was throwing him off.


	5. Daffodil

Arcades were louder than Goro thought. The arcade in Shibuya, the one Sakamoto was at. “Akira!” He yelled once they walked in, “you and Akechi get your asses over here!” The blonde was hunched over the claw machine, staring with his tongue out.

Goro looked over at Kurusu, at his strong jaw and small smile. “Akechi, are you good at claw machines?” Goro shook his head, looking over at Sakamoto. “Do you want a stuffed animal?”

Kurusu didn’t even wait for a response before he walked over to Sakamoto and waved him away from the machine. He used Sakamoto’s stack of quarters. Goro stood next to Sakamoto, watching Kurusu move the joystick to plant and grasp a light blue teddy bear. It small with a red bow around its neck.

“Yo, how’d ya do that?” Sakamoto asked, blinking at the stuffed toy, “You gotta stop bein’ good at everythin’!” Kurusu only laughed, handing the stuffed toy to Goro before continuing on into the arcade.

Dammit, his face was warm again! He looked over at Sakamoto, hiding his face with his hair before moving to catch up to Kurusu. Sakamoto wanted to laugh. Goro found Kurusu at the back, ogling at a new machine with a crowd forming.

“It’s the sequel to Gun About,” Kurusu said, “There’s better graphics and aim, so it feels like shooting a real gun! Shinya told me that it’s harder than the original.”

“Like a real gun, huh,” Goro pursed his lips, “Shall we play?” Kurusu nodded, looking over the crowd at whoever was playing.

“There’s a line...”

Goro laughed, stepping through them and flashing a smile over everyone. He glanced over the player, smiling. “Pardon me, but may I ask who is next in line to play? I’ve been hoping to get a chance and my schedule doesn’t have much... flexibility, if I could say.”

“Oh!” A girl in the crowd yelled, “Oh, I am! But you can go before me, Akechi-san!” She looked his age, probably one of his fangirls. Goro beamed at her, sending a wink. He was fairly famous online from his work as a detective, so it was easy to get whatever he wanted.

After a few minutes of waiting, the current player died and Goro stepped in with Kurusu. The girl from before gasped, taking out her phone to snap photos or take videos. The gun was lighter than a real one, obviously, but Goro could accept it. “Kurusu,” he said, “I’ll make a wager that I’ll have a higher score than you by the end of the match.”

“Loser has to buy dinner,” he winked. Goro nodded, starting the game. It was interesting, shooting at a giant zombie mantis and aiming like he would back in his old days. Goro has to admit that Kurusu was decent, but he was trash at the same time, dying almost instantly. Goro sighed, dumping the controller back where it was meant to be ‘holstered’.

“How unfortunate,” he said, “Looks like you’ll be paying.” Kurusu shrugged, leading out of the arcade. “So, where shall we eat, then?” We... what an odd word for Goro to say. The brunette looked away from Kurusu, trying to pretend that he hadn’t just said what we said. Oh, how he had to be more careful!

“Why don’t we go to the café over there and walk around Shibuya?” Goro nodded, following the younger boy. What was this feeling? Why was his heart beating so hard? Why did he constantly feel so at ease, yet so aware of what Kurusu was doing at the same time?

The way he walked, spoke, and how he seemed to be behind layers of glass walls. Exposed, yet protected. What kind of self-respecting student walked with such bad posture, with his hair in wild curls and face serious at all times. At the same time, what delinquent worked multiple jobs and cared for animals and people, what delinquent would be so skilled at claw machines and know flowers off the top of his head.

Goro wanted to learn more, so he followed, so he let himself be dragged down into the point of no return.

Kurusu sat them at a booth, order the Nostalgia-Steak since they had limited options. Goro sat across from him, watching his face and body language. It was a shame he wore long sleeves, though there was a small amount of black lines that peeked from above his collar. Goro wanted to peel back the layers and expose it, but, oh, he needed to be good.

“So,” Kurusu said, “Any luck on your admirer?”

“Not even a little,” Goro smiled, “it’s hard to think about how they could get into the locked classrooms, be precise in flowers, and still maintain anonymity.”

“They could be friends with a teacher,” he winked, “I’m friends with one and she’d really do a lot for me to help me out, maybe they work around that kind of thing to get the flowers. Ah, they could be making lock picks. It isn’t that hard, considering that I do it all the time. It works for lockers and a lot of doors.” Goro pursed his lips, nodding. How specific.

“I’ve never considered the possibility,” Goro frowned, “but now I need to consider all teacher’s pets, delinquents, and florists.” Kurusu blinked at him, taking a long, slow sip of his Frui-Tea.

“Sometimes, it’s right under your nose,” he chuckled, “Think inside the box too.”

“I’ll take your advice. Oh, I’ve just realized that I need to prepare for the outing you invited me on. I don’t seem to own any swimwear.”

Kurusu shrugged, “There’s the Underground Mall, let’s just stop there.” Goro nodded, turning back to his food. His first instinct was a dark color, but he didn’t want to stand out too much and go off from his usual lighter colors.

“I’d appreciate it.”

Lunch seemed to breeze by, conversation bloomed from every topic, nothing seeming to drone on Goro’s mind. It was careless, so open and dangerous to be so interested. Kurusu didn’t agree with him on everything, nor did he try to fight him on disagreements. It was like he was speaking to someone who understood him, who he felt like he had known. What was with him?

Truth be told, he could even be angry at his admirer for the flowers, as it opened the doors to this friendship, to this new experience for Goro.

“Akechi,” Kurusu said, “Are you interested in guys?” Goro choked on his drink, spluttering before he tried to regain his composure. “Oh, god, I’m so sorry! Was I too forward with that?”

“No! No,” Goro said, “No, you’re fine, I was just... surprised, yeah. I, um, yeah, I like, uh, guys and... not girls.” Well, at least he knew that he was still as awkward saying it as he was telling Makoto and Haru. “What, uh, what about you?”

“I’m bi,” Kurusu grinned, “So don’t worry about being awkward.” Goro blinked, turning his head down to hide his face and eating his steak. “I was just curious.”

Goro shrugged, replacing his blank face with a smile. “It’s not a big deal, really! Don’t worry about it.” He wanted to curl up and die from his word vomit. The next thing Goro would know would be calling Kurusu ‘hot’ or something... Wait, where did that come from? Fuck, Goro needed to take a breather. “I can pay for myself, Kurusu.”

“No way,” he said, “I’m treating you today. You can treat me next time.” Next time? Goro sighed. There wouldn’t be a next time if Goro could start thinking with his brain. He sat back as Kurusu paid for their meals and they stepped back onto Central Street.

“Thank you, Kurusu,” Goro said, “So, shall we go to the mall?” Kurusu nodded, walking by Goro’s side. They were about the same height, though Kurusu’s hair made him seem taller. 

They made their way through the Underground Mall, finding Ann standing around a clothing store. “Goro, Akira, it’s good to see you,” she smiled, “What brings you here?”

“Akechi doesn’t have a swimsuit,” Kurusu said, “so here we are.” She nodded, swiping a strand of hair from her eyes.

“Well,” she looked Kurusu over, “I’ll leave you to it, so don’t screw up!” She twirled on her heel and sauntered towards the direction of a gift shop. She loved buying stuff for Shiho.

Goro led the way this time, going right towards the darker colored swim shorts. He couldn’t find any that were all black. He wondered what Kurusu’s would look like. Would they show much? He itched to see what else he hid under his clothes. He seemed fit, seemed like he hid some muscle along with ink. He shuddered, trying to change his thoughts.

“How about this?” Kurusu held up a bright blue, surfboard printed set. Goro only flared at him, shaking his head. “Okay, how about this!” He held up another, equally disgusting pair. Neon pink with yellow suns.

“Kurusu, I will throw you.” Goro tugged our a few half black-half neon red pair before thrusting it back on the rack. “There’s nothing that doesn’t make me want to claw out my eyes.”

Kurusu hummed, holding up a pair of black shorts with a dark blue stripe around the right leg. “How’s this?” Goro glanced up, almost breaking into a real grin. He snatched it, feeling the fabric and checking for pockets. “Good?”

“Perfect,” he said, “Thanks, Kurusu, really. Honestly, I have a lot to thank you for.”

“No worries. It’s what friends are for.” Friends. Why did that make Goro feel pained? Normally, he felt anger or joy at the word, depending on who he was with, but it felt insufficient when describing Kurusu. Friends. Goro wanted... something else, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

“I’m paying for my own swimsuit,” Goro said, stepping in front of Kurusu at the register, “Don’t argue this time.”

“Fine, fine.” Kurusu leaned his back against the counter. Goro paid for his swimsuit, holding onto the bag and walking out. “Can I walk you home?” Goro’s heart jumped. Wow, it felt like he was on a date, which was funny all by itself! Him and Kurusu? No way! But he couldn’t stop himself from nodding.

“My apartment’s nearby,” Goro smiled, a real one that time. Kurusu started at him, blinking. “Hello?”

“You have dimples,” Kurusu raised a hand, hesitating, “They’re really cute.” They both froze, staring. Goro could hear his own heart. Cute? He should brush it off to make it less awkward, but he knew that this could be a chance.

“Th-Thank you,” he said. Kurusu nodded, not trusting his mouth to speak. They still walked side by side, chatting despite the tension between them. Goro was sure that others could feel it too. It felt like crushing weights on his chest, but it was so confusing. He didn’t want it to end. He didn’t want to be stuck in his quiet apartment with homework and paperwork and emails and...

They were at his door in no time. Goro started up at the golden numbers, fumbling with his keys until he managed to get it open. “Thank you, Kurusu,” he said, nearly whispering, “I had a lot of fun.”

“Me too,” he said back, nearly matching the silence, “Here, I... brought you this.” He pulled a flower out of his jacket, forcing Goro’s heart into overdrive. “A daffodil for new beginnings.” Goro look down at the flower, reaching a shaking hand to accept it. He felt like Kurusu was keeping something. He usually gave more than one meaning, but perhaps this specific one was his intention?

“Thank you,” Goro whispered, “I’ll see you tomorrow, yes?” Kurusu nodded, letting Goro shut his apartment door before leaning his head on the door frame.

Once Goro made it inside, he sat against the door, nose buried in the flower. Daffodil, for new beginnings, but what else? He didn’t want the flower to die, wanted to keep it forever. Goro sighed, placing it on the TV stand. Kurusu was so weird.

_Goro Akechi: Do daffodils have multiple meanings?_

_Haru: Yes, all flowers have multiple meanings. Why?_

_Goro Akechi: Kurusu just gave me one, for new beginnings._

_Haru: Oh, well, it could also mean chivalry!_

Goro frowned. Why did that disappoint him? He felt like there was more to it than chivalry and new beginnings, but he didn’t want to look it up and make himself question Kurusu’s intentions. Goddammit, why did he feel like this?!

No matter, the beach trip was tomorrow, so Goro had no need to ruin it. Damn, damn, damn.

_Kurusu Akira: Come to Leblanc at 10 am_

_Goro Akechi: Okay, see you then._

He hoped his heart would calm down by them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daffodils could mean uncertainty, chivalry, respect or unrequited love, return my affection; new beginnings.


	6. Azalea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter, but I didn’t want to make a bunch of short ones from the same setting.

Goro never considered himself self-conscious about anything, but standing in his new swimwear made him want to add as many layers as possible. Normally, he’d be proud to show off his toned muscles in his arms and legs, the result of bouldering and bicycling for a long time, but today was not normal! He ran a hand over the scars on him, some bullet holes, grazed ones from bullets, oh, and the knife wounds from that psycho he caught.

What would Kurusu think of it? Even worse, what if Makoto started treating him like glass again?! Goro looked around frantically, trying to find a casual jacket or hoodie for the day, but curse his lack of proper attire! He snatched one of his t-shirts—a stupid Featherman shirt for sleep. Goro grabbed his sunglasses, perfect to hide his obvious lack of sleep, and a sun hat. That should be fine.

_Goro Akechi: I‘m on my way. Sorry if I’m early._

_Kurusu Akira: No worries!_

_Kurusu Akira: Futaba’s already heee playing video games!_

_Kurusu Akira: Here_

_Goro Akechi: Haha, okay, I’ll be there in a little bit._

Goro turned his back to the mirror, bending on leg and leaning weight on the other. Okay, his butt looked good, so what was there to worry about? Goro slipped on some shoes, grabbing his keys before leaving the house. He felt... weird, like he was too casual to be seen out. It’s fine, it’s fine, really. He put his hair in a ponytail before putting the sun hat on.

Leblanc was closed that day, empty inside. Goro knocked, hearing some loud, muffled yelling before Kurusu ran down the stairs and nearly face planting into the door. “Akechi,” he grinned, thrusting open the door, “Come on upstairs and, uh, nice hat.”

“I didn’t want to be seen wearing such casual attire,” Goro said, “What’s upstairs?”

“The attic and my bedroom.” Attic?! It was a big room, shelves stocked with little trinkets and a cat that lounged on the small bed. It looked bad, but Goro felt warm inside just from being there. A small redhead was perched on a chair with a controller in her hands. He recognized her as a first-year he’d seen around, but never interacted with. “Futaba, this is Akechi.”

“Aha,” she cackled, “Vintage 1998 Featherman Shirt, good face, pretty eyes, tall, fit... You’re approved, come sit.” Kurusu coughed, making his way over to the bed with the cat. Goro joined him, taking up the controller with hesitance. “Hey, call me Futaba without honorifics, ‘cuz if you call me Sakura, I’ll gut you.”

“Don’t threaten cops,” Kurusu chastised. Futaba smirked at him.

“I’d say ‘fuck the police’, but you wouldn’t have any issue with that, would you?” This time, Kurusu said nothing, but Goro wasn’t paying any attention. He played this game before, so he was doing good against Futaba. He heard from posters that she was the best gamer in Shujin. “Damn, Akechi, you’re good at this!”

“Thank you, Futaba,” Goro said. Kurusu sat back petting his cat and watching Goro. He still had a ponytail, exposing his smooth neck.

“I’m going to change,” Kurusu announced. Goro and Futaba just hummed, continuing the game as if he wasn’t there. Sure, Goro felt his heart speed up, but he blamed it on the video game.

Once Kurusu was out of the room, Futaba pauses the game, nearly giving Goro a heart attack. She jumped over to the bed, bouncing the cat off. “So,” she said, a twisted grin on her face, “What do you think of Akira?”

Goro flushed. “He’s, uh, a great friend and very helpful!” He hoped she would believe his smile.

“No, not that sad shit,” she exclaimed, “What’s your opinion on his looks? Got any favorite parts? Do you wanna fuck him?” Goro coughed, covering his face with his hands. “Yes or no?”

“Futaba, I...” He pursed his lips, “I don’t... I don’t know.” He mumbled, so quiet she could barely hear him. “I can’t seem to think around him and... god...”

She beamed at him, patting a hand on his hair. “Don’t you worry ‘bout it, I won’t tell! If you can’t think, then don’t think. Sojiro always said that the heart knows before the brain, okay?”

“Thanks,” Goro smiled for real, “Do you think Kurusu would get mad if I stole something from his closet? I don’t want to ruin this shirt, but it was the only clean casual one.” Futaba waved her hand, standing and heading to a large cardboard box on a shelf.

“Hoodie?”

“That’d be good.”

Futaba pulled out a dark blue hoodie, holding it up on display. It had a school logo that Goro didn’t recognize printed on the left and on the back. It was a tree point shape surrounded by a circle. “What school is that?” Goro asked, replacing his shirt with the soft hoodie.

It was warm and it smelled so, so nice. The hoodie was a bit large on him, but he liked it. “Yasogami High,” Futaba said, “it was Akira’s old school before he moved, so he doesn’t use that anymore because the Shujin one is better.”

“Guys, I’m...” Kurusu was stopped at the top of his stairs, wearing his swimsuit and Shujin hoodie with Ann, Sakamoto, Shiho, and a blue-haired boy trailing behind him. Goro sucked in a breath. He did have more tattoos.

There was a star on the side of his knee on the left leg, on his right leg was basically a mural. “Oh yeah, this is one I got a while back,” Kurusu smiled, hiking up his swimsuit leg.

There was a skull with a top hat and cigar, bright red and black was the main colors. With the skull was a royal flush with poker chips covered in golden jewelry. To the side was a shadowed face with a crown, the faces were all shadowed black, then the second one was holding a painting of what looked like the Sayuri, under that was a chubbier shadow of a face holding crumpled money with coins falling from it, the eyes were bug eyes with wings, the next face was an astronaut man with horns and more, more money. Damn, it was intricate.

Goro pursed his lips, trying to hide behind the hoodie. “Oh, you’re Goro Akechi,” said the blue haired boy, “My name is Yusuke Kitagawa.” So this was the artistic, eccentric student rom Kosei. Goro smiled at him, trying to stay near Ann and Futaba. He wanted to force his eyes to stop hyper-focusing on Akira’s leg mural, to stop thinking about how nice the ink would look contrasted to his pale hand.

“You okay, Goro?” Ann whispered, nudging him. He nodded, not meeting her prodding eyes. “I like them too,” she giggled, “but I didn’t react like that. You look like a hungry dog.”

“Shush,” Goro glared, flexing his hand in the sleeve, “I just... really, really love tattoos...”

“Well, aren’t you lucky,” she said, “Wait ‘til that hoodie comes off.” His mouth went dry. Ann winked at him before sauntering over to Kurusu. Goro made an attempt to reach out to her, to stop her, but nothing happened. He didn’t move. “Akira,” she stared at Goro, “When are Makoto and Haru showing? I’m getting so impatient.”

Bitch.

“They should be here in a little bit,” Kurusu said, “Impatient?”

“Obviously,” she pouted, “We haven’t been since Futaba stopped being a hermit!” Goro felt a sharp pain in his chest, nothing warm like he usually felt in the presence of Kurusu. He wanted to go over there and butt in, step in front of Ann and maybe ‘accidentally’ push her. But, she was with Shiho, he shouldn’t want to do that.

Goro moves against his will, smiling at Kurusu and putting himself between them. “Kurusu, is it alright for me to wear your jacket?” Ann was behind him, grinning at Kurusu before bouncing off. Good, Goro thought, keeping his smile perfect, he had something to confirm.

“It’s no problem,” said Kurusu, “You can keep it if you want. It suits you better.” Goro wasn’t planning on returning it anyway. The detective nodded, staring right into the endless color of gray.

“I’m really grateful that you invited me,” Goro raised his brows, “I don’t really have many chances to go out.” He watched Kurusu’s throat move as he swallowed, biting his lip and glancing away.

“It’s no problem.” So, he could regain his composure in a split second. Interesting. “I could change that, if you’d like.” Smooth, Goro almost smirked, but not subtle. Oh, how blind he was.

“You aren’t wearing your glasses, are those contacts?” Goro leaned closer, hands reaching but never making contact. Kurusu nodded, not changing his regular stance and face. Only a few more tests left. Goro reached up to his own hair, twirling a loose strand before frowning in false thought. Kurusu ran a hand through his hair.

Conclusive evidence gathered.

“I have to talk to Ann.” Goro broke the eye contact as he walked away, weight of the tension crushing his pounding heart. That was more intense than he expected. What was he even trying to do?

Attraction.

That was what he felt, wasn’t it? That was why Goro couldn’t think right. “Ann,” he whispered, fists clenched in the sleeves of the beautiful smelling hoodie, “I think I’m losing my mind.”

“Text me,” she waved him off, “you can formulate words better that way and it won’t be suspicious.”

“Fine, I’ll go... sit on the couch.”

Goro sat next to Kurusu, who was idly chatting away with Futaba. He felt his face warm, now painfully aware of himself. If he was attracted to Kurusu, could Kurusu be attracted to him? He conducted that test, but it could be coincidence. 

“Sorry we’re late!” called a sweet voice from the stairs. Thank fuck, they can go now. “Come on, I have the car waiting for us.” Goro found immediate comfort walking with the two other third-years, too uncomfortable with the sudden realization.

_Goro Akechi: I’m attracted to him._

_Goro Akechi: But I don’t know if he’s attracted to me and my face feels hot when I’m near him and my heart keeps beating!_

_Ann T: U have a crush_

_Goro Akechi: No way! I just want to be close to him and I’m sorry for basically pushing you... I think I got a bit jealous._

_Ann T: Lmao u totally like him!!_

_Ann T: Dw about it. U should just get to kno him and then figure it out_

_Goro Akechi: But I’m impatient. I want him to myself, but it’s selfish._

_Ann T: Awww cuuuuuteee_

_Ann T: Just lmk if u need anything_

Goro sighed, wanting to bury himself on the car ride there. He wasn’t talking to anyone, just held the cat in his lap and listening to music. He hated social situations. Why did he even agree to come?!

They got to the beach when it was a bit empty, easily finding a spot to set down their towels and perch umbrellas. Kurusu dumped his hoodie on a folding chair, stretching and showing his muscles. And tattoos. Goro now realized that there was a positive.

He had a sugar skull on his left pectoral, with long hair and a large, floppy hat. On the other pectoral, he had a large, horned, winged demon looking thing with a halo and armor. It went to right below his ribs and held a gun and sword. Goro blinked, watching him turn to reveal six black wings that looked like bat wings with feathers. There were two horns and Roman numerals in them on his collarbone, on his right shoulder was a tattoo of his cat, Morgana, and then his bicep had a detailed clock and rose. The left bicep and shoulder had a masked, top-hat wearing demon with heeled boots and wings. On his V-line was one word in beautiful bolder letters—Emancipation.

“Those are... nice,” Goro breathed, tossing his new hoodie next to Kurusu’s, “what are... those guys from?”

“Oh, this one is Arsene the gentleman thief and this is Satanael, the archangel. The wings and horns are Satanael and a lot of the top hat, gambling stuff is Arsene.” He ran a hand over the ink, biting his lip as he grinned at Goro. His face went red again.

“Who does them?”

“My friend’s friend,” Kurusu winked, “I’m planning on getting some more eventually.” Goro nodded, hands itching to touch them. He reached closer, waiting for Kurusu to back away, oh, but he never did.

Goro presses a hand to his chest, the heat burning his hand. Muscle, lots of muscle. The skin was soft, smoothly inked with some scars protruding. Lots of cat scratches, he noticed. “You like tattoos?” Kurusu asked, voice hoarse.

“Yeah,” Goro whispered, “love them.”

A loud cough came from the side. Fucking Sakamoto! “Yo, let’s go to the water. I’m gettin’ tired of watchin’ you guys eff each other with your eyes!” Ann slapped the back of his head, chastising him angrily.

“Ah,” Goro yanked his hand away, waving it around, “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have... done that! Yeah, water. I’ve never been in the ocean!” What the hell did he just do? His hand tingled and he knew he was bright red.

“N-No, yeah,” Kurusu was red too, “I, um, it’s a good thing—place!—and do you know how to swim?”

“Of course,” Goro forced out a grin, “b-but, uh, if you wanna make sure I don’t, ahem, drown, go—go ahead!” Goro took back what he though about Kurusu’s lack of skill. Recovery was fucking impossible!

“Wait, sunscreen!” Haru yelled, finishing spraying Makoto’s back. “Come on!” Goro went over, trying to get away from Kurusu before he lost his mind again. The cold spray on Goro’s body was an appreciated distraction.

They went to the water, Goro keeping his distance from Kurusu. The younger teen didn’t seem bothered, laughing along about something Sakamoto said. Goro tried to listen to Makoto, he really did, but he found nothing interesting in the talk about the test he failed.

He focused more on what was happening, on the soft sand covering his bare feet, toes buried in the cold. The ocean was beautiful, waves creeping up before receding into the next wave, knocking people down in the water while some sat around on boards. It was... gorgeous.

The second the cold waves covered Goro’s ankles, he felt like a child again. He didn’t think, only kicked up the water and splashed it all over Ann and Shiho. “Oh, shit, I—“ Ann swooped her own leg to splash him back, taking off to do the same to Sakamoto.

“Wait, wait!” Sakamoto ran foreword, a slight limp, before lifting Ann up and throwing her into an incoming wave.

“Ryuji!” She shrieked, dragging him down too. Haru laughed, looking over at Makoto before running into the ocean with Makoto’s hand in hers. Was Goro meant to join them? Kitagawa was standing in the wet sand, fingers formed in a frame to capture the scene.

“Ah, Akechi-san,” Kitagawa said, “the view is absolutely breathtaking. I can’t wait for sunset to get the best part.”

“I hear that the view is nice,” Goro looked at the water, “I never know what to do in social situations.”

“Oh, me neither,” Kitagawa smiled, “I usually stay off to the side or wander around, but watching my friends have fun is enough for me.” Goro only hummed in response. “Wait, don’t move!” Kitagawa stared at Goro, fingers framing him. Goro stared at him, frozen. “May I paint you?”

“Sure, I suppose,” Goro smiled, “though, I‘ll need a bit of time to free my schedule.” Kitagawa nodded, dropping his hands before looking back at the water. Goro followed his gaze, finding Kurusu before anyone else. He was standing near Sakamoto, smiling at him, but they made eye contact. Keep or break? Goro couldn’t bring himself to look away.

“I’m going to go find kiosks,” Kitagawa said, “Go spend time with Akira. It’s rude to avoid people.” Kitagawa left him to gawk, to decide whether or not he would take the first step. He couldn’t just put himself at risk like that. What if he made a fool of himself?

Kitagawa was already too far to chase after, so Goro took a slow, first step. Then another, and another, one after the other, letting the water reach his knees, then his waist. Kurusu was grinning at him, holding Sakamoto’s head under as he struggled. His hair was not stuck in curls, but instead flattened by the water and pushed back to show his forehead.

Goro wanted to scream.

“It’s cold,” Goro frowned, feeling the water rush between his fingers, “but it’s pretty and comfortable.” Sakamoto splashed water when he surfaced, shaking his head like a dog and getting it on Goro. “Sakamoto-kun!”

“Dude, you don’t gotta be so formal,” Sakamoto said, “it ain’t like we ain’t friends.” Friends? Nature didn’t give Goro a chance to respond before a wave hit them, knocking the detective down. He surfaced to laughter, allowing himself a chuckle. “Yo, your head looks like a wet mop.”

Goro pushed it back, widow’s peak shown to the world. “Are you sure? Kurusu’s matches that description a lot more.”

“Once it starts drying, it looks like a giant bush,” Sakamoto said, “It gets bigger than his head.” He had his hands hovering over his own head, trying to imitate what it would look like when it dried. Goro smiled, a real one, at the thought of Kurusu with something close to an Afro. Sakamoto waded towards the girls, yelling something about going to bother them.

“Hey, Akechi,” Kurusu said, “Do you want to walk around for a bit? I‘m getting a bit hungry.” Goro nodded, following his out of the water. Once Goro got to the shore, he stumbled around. The waves made his body move weird on land. “Let’s go towards our stuff so I can get some money.”

They walked along the wet sand, water brushing against their feet. Goro kept his eyes trained off somewhere else, somewhere that wasn’t Kurusu, that wasn’t the person that made his face burn. Their hands brushed and Goro made himself yank it away. “Uh, sorry,” he said.

“Yeah, me too! It was an accident.” Kurusu looked away from him. Why did he agree to walk if he knew it’d be awkward? What the hell was making him feel like this?!

He was Goro Akechi, ace detective, celebrity, second top of the class, Student Council Vice President, and, somehow, he couldn’t figure out what he was supposed to do. He heard that flirting was the right way to go about things, but, oh god, what was he supposed to say? ‘Hey Kurusu, I know this is sudden, but you’re hot and I want to fuck you with care’? Goro shook his head, sighing. “You okay?”

“Yes, of course,” Goro smiled, “I’ve just had a bit on my mind lately.”

“If you want, you can confide in me.” How could Goro word it? He didn’t want to make Kurusu think he ‘liked’ someone else, but he didn’t know what to do.

“It’s quite alright,” Goro said. He’d complain to Ann later. He saw Kitagawa sitting with Morgana, holding a cold soda and making sketches in a sketchbook. “Kurusu, have you forgotten that it’s my turn to pay?” Kurusu froze, hand stuck in his bag as he watched Goro wave around his wallet. Kurusu smirked.

“Right, it’s only fair.”

This was it. The comfort and familiarity despite the fact that they were really just strangers. Goro felt a small pang in his chest. That’s what they were. Strangers. Goro looked over Kurusu, at the excessive amount of tattoos that fit his body perfectly, at his abs and his face. He didn’t want to be just strangers.

“I want the saltwater eel bento, by the way,” Kurusu said, barely glancing at the chalk menu, “it’s good. You should try it.”

“I’ll pick a piece off yours and get a different one,” Goro half-smiled, “I’ll take a shrimp and chicken teriyaki bento please.”

“That’ll be one-thousand-four-hundred-eighteen yen,” the woman smiled. Goro handed her the paper money, standing off to the side while they waited. Kurusu leaned against the wall, just smiling like an idiot.

“You know,” Kurusu said, “if I were to give you a flower to tell you something, I’d give you an azalea.”

“Why’s that?” Goro tilted his head. Kurusu only shrugged. Why was he so secretive? “I’ll find out eventually, you know.”

“I like the thrill of a chase and the romance of a mystery.” Kurusu winked at him, rubbing his inked arm. Goro felt warm. “You blush a lot. It’s cute.” That made it worse. Goro glared at him, arms crossed over his exposed chest.

“It’s just sunburn,” he said, “Don’t flatter yourself, though it would be the only flattery you get.”

“I can get flattery,” Kurusu smirked, “I’ve got a lot of girls into me right now. Girls love bad boys. It sucks that I’ve got an ace up my sleeve.” Kurusu almost laughed at his own joke, but the buzzing of his phone in his damp pocket was indication that Futaba didn’t find the ‘ace detective’ pun very funny.

“I’ll be willing to bet that you’re bluffing.” Goro looked at him with his lower lip lodged between his teeth. Body language was the way to go, right? He looked at Kurusu’s eyes, at his lips, and let them trace his body before back to his eyes. “Though there could be some instances.”

Kurusu gulped. Goro managed to keep his cool in the silence until their food was ready. Fuck, he was an idiot. Goro snatched a piece of eel on their walk back.

The sun cast a golden hue on them as it set at the end of the water. Goro stopped, turning to stare as the water lapped at his legs. Kurus glanced at him, taking the spot to his left to watch. “I’ve never seen a sunset so beautiful,” Goro said, “I’ve really been missing out...”

“You won’t miss out anymore,” Kurusu whispered, “I promise.” He held out his hand, pinky extended. Goro smiled, linking his own with Kurusu’s. “I make this pinky swear, and seal it with a kiss!” He held up his thumb. Goro wanted to cry, the tears burning up in his eyes. He took his own thumb and pressed the pads together to ‘kiss’.

“You’re really something else... Akira.” The name just rolled off, but Goro couldn’t stop himself. Kurusu stared at him before breaking into a full grin.

“Whatever gets your attention, Goro.” Goro blushed, forcing his eyes back to the sunset. “Join us for lunch on Monday?”

“Sure.”

“There you guys are!” A high voice yelled, drawing the attention of the two teens. Goro yanked his hand away, turning to the group. Ann was talking to a stranger, handing her phone to them. “Hurry for the picture!”

Kurusu—Akira, now—wrapped an arm around Goro’s shoulders, Futaba standing in front of them with everyone smashing together and smiling, laughing at everything, at Sakamoto’s lack of composure, at Morgana posing so primly in Futaba’s arms.

Goro was dead in the center, not giving a dead-eyed smile. He finally felt like he belonged somewhere, like he was normal.

Akira remembered Goro’s red face. Yeah, azaleas fit him. Every flower he chose fit Goro, but the azalea was his true self for now. So bashful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Azaleas: your blush has won me


	7. Yellow Tulips

Goro sat in front of his laptop, hair wet and dripping onto his Featherman shirt. The Skype call had just started and his mother was smiling at him from her desk. “How was your beach trip?” She asked, smile growing when she saw Goro brighten. She didn’t have many wrinkles, considering she was only thirty-three, having Goro at sixteen.

“It was amazing!” Goro said, louder than his usual voice, “Oh, we went into the water up to our waists and then I got food and we watched the sunset! It reflected over the water like, uh, like... I can’t even describe it.”

“It must have been gorgeous then,” she smiled, “how’s that boy you told me about?”

“He has a lot more tattoos than I thought an... I’ve concluded that I may experience some attraction to him, but I need to control myself so I can figure out who’s sending me flowers.” Goro flailed his pen around while he talked, ignoring his schoolwork for a moment.

“If you find them, what will you do?”

“Politely ask them to stop and let them down,” Goro shrugged, “I’ll also need to research flirting because I’ve found that Kurusu—no, Akira, I mean—is a lot harder to talk to now.” His mother sighed, taking a sip from her coffee.

“Get some rest, Goro,” she said, “I need to finish this and you look exhausted.”

“Hm, alright, love you, Mom.”

“Love you too.”

The Skype call ended, leaving Goro in silence with the clock blinking three in the morning. He only had a few questions left, but his eyes could barely stay open. He just continued, ignoring his now sloppy handwriting to just answer the blurry questions before blacking out with his notebook still on the bed and pen still in hand.

Goro woke up with a start, phone screaming his alarm to wake him up. Goro’s hair dried overnight, a little damp when he ran his hand through it, but otherwise dry. He groaned, rolling out of bed and rubbing his eyes. He started up his coffee machine, throwing his head on the bed before finding his modified uniform.

He gulped down his bitter coffee, cringing when he put down the empty cup. It was for the energy, he told himself. Damn, he was tired. The world still felt weird and his body felt like it was still in the waves.

_Goro Akechi: Are you at school?_

_Makoto Niijima: No, not yet, but Akira’s there with Futaba._

_Goro Akechi: Ann told you, didn’t she?_

_Makoto Niijima: I didn’t tell anyone, but she didn’t even have to tell me. It’s so obvious._

Goro frowned. He had to get himself under control lest Akira finds out about his hopeless... crush, as Ann would call it. Of course, he could distance himself, avoid him at all costs and do his own research on the flowers, but the urge to be near him was too much.

No, Goro thought, he couldn’t let himself be taken over by the want to be near someone, it wasn’t a necessity. He just needed some time to himself to get his head on straight. Based on before, there was a high chance that Akira was attracted to him too, but he couldn’t just accept that.

Goro finalized his decision before snatching his bag off the couch and storming out of his apartment. He didn’t need Akira, not even a little bit. He could do everything he needed to by himself, thank you very much, but he wanted Akira. He wanted that delinquent and his mother always told him to go after what he wanted.

Now, now he needed a strategy. Hard to get? Playful flirting? Goro didn’t know what he was supposed to do!

He squeezed through the hallways and made his way to the roof, where Makoto said to go. Of course, it was against the rules to be on the roof, but Goro supposed that considering he wanted to practically shove a delinquent against a wall and make out with him for hours, there was more the worry about.

“Oh, Akechi-San,” said one of the girls, “you shouldn’t go up there, Kurusu and Sakamoto are up there!” Goro glared at her, nearly shoving her on his way up to the roof. He shouldn’t be so angry, shouldn’t have the urge to slam her head into a wall until it became nothing but a bloody mush, but he was. Oh, he was, and he was shaking.

Goro ran his fingers along the banister, the quiet glow of the sun behind the door was motivation to calm down. He shouldn’t be so upset over a concerned classmate, but it wasn’t just a stranger she was talking about anymore. It was Akira.

“Oh,” Haru said, “Akira-chan left for a moment, but he’ll be back after a moment.” She was sat at one of the tables, chairs strewn over the roof with a juice box in her hands. Goro sighed, slumping on the metal chair across from Haru. “We come up here often. Are you joining us for lunch today?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Goro said, “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.”

“Mako-chan told me.” Haru’s giggling helped soothe Goro’s racing heart. He really needed to invest in some anger management classes. If it hadn’t been for Akira’s strict orders of secrecy, she would have told Goro everything, but alas. “Don’t worry,” she said instead, “it’ll all turn out fine if you confess to him.”

“No thanks, I’d rather keep my dignity.”

Haru wanted to crush the juice box. She knew Goro was inexperienced but was he joking?! She wanted to rip her hair out! “Well,” she ground out, “Good luck!”

The sound of the heavy metal door opening took her attention away from Goro. Akira walked in with Sakamoto, arms full of soda and snacks from the vending machines. Ann trailed behind them with a mouthful of cake and a bottle of juice. “Yo, Akechi!” Sakamoto grinned, taking the seat next to him and dumping the sodas on the table. Nine cans total. “Pick one!” He chose the vanilla cola, smiling out a thanks. “Oh, yeah, I just wanted to let ya know that you can call us all by our first names. We don’t give a shit ‘bout politeness, after all.”

“Ryuji, then,” Goro said, “you can call me Goro.” The brunette’s eyes trailed back over to Akira, whose legs were propped up on a chair and a soda pressed to his pouty lips.

“Hell yeah! Oi, since Goro’s new to our group, we oughta have another sleepover, aye?” Ryuji was bouncing in his seat like a child. Goro had never been to a sleepover in his life.

“Great idea,” Ann cheered, “How about the weekend again?” Did they really do something every weekend? Not including how often they spent time together after school. Goro was included in that?

“I’ll let Sojiro know and we can take Leblanc,” said Akira, gaze trained on Goro, “so we need o find a job for Goro.”

“Hm, he could bring board games,” Haru smiled, “no offense, but I’m a little bored of the games from the nineties in the attic.” Board games? Monopoly, Sorry, and stuff? Perhaps he could bring an Ouija Board and fuck around with the others. Makoto would be the easiest target, having always hated the dark and supernatural.

Goro was almost bouncing to class. His shoulders felt light with a feeling he hadn’t experienced in a long time. Acceptance, compadre, all the bullshit that never seemed important to him until now. He used to be indifferent to the gossips about his few friends, only speaking when asked, but now even the slightest murmur of a name he cared for, he wanted to jump down their throats.

He held the door for Makoto, ignoring every whisper and keeping his face just as the emotion he felt. Then, then it was blown up.

Confusion, curiosity. He found flowers, seven to be exact, all tied with a red ribbon at the stems. Without missing a beat, Goro sat down, snapping a quick photo before tucking them into his bag, crushing the petals with some textbooks. They were yellow, bright and obnoxiously loud, but Goro still smiled at his phone. Akira’s response was never slow. Did he ever pay attention in class?

_Kurusu Akira: Yellow Tulips_

_Kurusu Akira: Used to mean hopeless love :/_

_Kurusu Akira: But now joy and sunshine!_

_Kurusu Akira: OR_

_Kurusu Akira: There’s sunshine in your smile_

_Goro Akechi: Haha, thank you very much._

_Kurusu Akira: Np_

_Kurusu Akira: Let me know if you need anything else_

_Kurusu Akira: Btw they aren’t wrong :p_

Goro felt himself warm, never responding and putting his phone face down on the desk. The whispers were about whether or not he had a girlfriend, whether he was texting his lover or not, but Goro didn’t feel angry. He was happy with how it was, with new friends that wanted him there.

He realized that Akira had never sent him receipts. He couldn’t keep wasting time! Goro messages Futaba.

  _Goro Akechi: Could you send me receipts of those who bought Gloxinias, Gardenias, Austrian Rose, Variegated Tulip, and Yellow Tulips_

_Alibaba: K_

Goro didn’t bother to message back, resting his hand on his paper to write notes. He couldn’t fail another test. There was a deadline on the board and he had to get the highest score on their next test. Sorry Makoto, he thought, but I need to recover from this.

He boxed and highlighted the important parts, organizing his notes and going ahead of the teacher. He took his time, headphones tuning out the chatter or students around him. He barely even noticed that the bell rang.

People began packing their bags, slamming textbooks shut and yelling across the classroom for their friends to wait. Goro smiled at Makoto, casually leaning against the desk.

“I’ve a slight inkling that Akira might be flirting with me,” Goro said, arms crossed over his chest. Makoto paused,raising her brow. “He told me the meaning of the flowers was ‘there’s sunshine in your smile’ and then told me they weren’t wrong.”

“You like him, though,” Makoto smiled, “so what’s the problem?”

“I’m not an easy target, Makoto,” Goro chuckled, “I like to be wooed.” The student council president rolled her eyes. “The rooftop, correct?”

“Yeah, oh, Ann texted me during class to say we were having a sleepover at Akira’s this weekend. I have to let Sis know that I’ll be out.”

“You’re telling Sae that you’re going to Haru’s, aren’t you.” Goro knew that Sae Niijima would never let Makoto out that easily, especially with those who had bad reputations. Makoto nodded, a small smirk playing on her lips. “It seems that Akira may be influencing those around him to become devious.”

“He can’t influence you, though,” Makoto grinned, “You’re already as bad as it gets, aren’t you? Getting kicked out of school like that.”

“If I didn’t, then we wouldn’t be as close as we are today.”

Goro had mixed feelings about the memory. Getting expelled from Gekkokaun elementary and then later middle school had put a severe damper on his school record, nearing having to be homeschooled before being sent to Shibuya for education. Of course, his mother had to invest in an apartment for him at thirteen since she couldn’t leave her work.

Why she trusted her angry son to live alone with a scheduled therapist for two years? Goro had no idea, but he had freedom.

When Goro saw Akira standing around the vending machine, leaning against the wall with Ryuji waving his arms around while talking, Goro saw him smile.

There’s sunshine in your smile.

Goro suddenly liked yellow tulips.


	8. Red Camellia

Goro found himself having an uneventful day. He strolled to the student council room after school, ready and prepared for the day’s meeting. Akira, however, was walking right out of the door when he arrived. The bespectacled boy blinked at him, face turning red. “Uh, hey, Goro,” he said, shutting the door and leaning against it.

“You aren’t supposed to have access to the Student Council Room,” Goro frowned at him, “Did Makoto let you in? Is she inside?”

“No, I, uh, had to drop something off! Don’t worry about it, really. I just... Hey, do you wanna go get food?”

“We have a meeting today, but I can clear my schedule for tomorrow.” Goro gave him a smile, a small one, but still carried some sort of authenticity. “Could you move? I need to get inside.”

“Yes! I’ll be on my way! Uh, gotta work a shift at the flower shop and meet with Ryuji. Just the regular Kurusu day! Yup, I’ll... bye!” The delinquent ran towards the stairs, nearly knocking a first-year over in the process. Poor kid. Goro raised a brow, sliding open the door and taking in the sight of the room.

Right at his seat was eight perfect, red flowers. They were tied with a red ribbon again, string laying on the stark white table. Goro glanced back down the hallway that Akira ran down. Had he seen the person place them? He would have noticed it if he was there, but he wouldn’t have been so erratic.

Goro brushed a careful finger along the petals of the flowers. That possibility was way too obvious, but it fit so well. Had he really been so blind?

A florist, friends with a teacher and knows how to pick locks, access to Student Council room because of Makoto. Hell, he handed a daffodil to Goro and said he would be an Azalea. God, what did those even mean? Goro made a quick search, blushing once he learned what it was. Your blush has won me. Goro didn’t even know what flower was in his hand.

He’d get back at the sly bastard.

Goro smirked to himself, he knew what to do. He sent a picture to Akira, placing them in his bag next to the tulips and sat patiently for the rest of the Student Council to arrive. Goro messages Ann, the snack coordinator for the slumber party, and asked for popsicles for the weekend. If Goro had to be publicly humiliated, so would Akira. It was only fair.

Makoto finally walked in, taking a seat at the head of the table with a small smile. Goro looked at her, taking the flowers and placing them in front of her. “It’s Akira, isn’t it.”

She blinked, mouth falling open as she tried to formulate some sort of excuse. Goro smirked.

“I knew it,” he snickered, “I’m not going to reject him, if that’s what you’re thinking, but I’m not going to waltz up and confess my love. I’m going to have fun with this until he loses it and...” Goro trailed off, staring at the wall as he thought about what he wanted Akira to do to him. Being slammed against a wall sounded fun, but Makoto didn’t need to hear about his sexual fantasies. He’d need to think it over in detail later that night.

“So, you’re going to toy with him?”

“Not in particular,” Goro mused, “I’ll do some things to rile him up, play dumb and dense, and just watch him crumble in my fingers. Nobody publicly humiliates me and gets away with it, Makoto.”

“You vindictive bastard,” she giggled, “I’ll keep your secret. Don’t worry about it.” Goro nodded zipping the flowers up as more members began to file in. They promptly began the meeting.

Goro went right home, noticing how Akira didn’t wait for him. He must’ve left after her got caught, but Goro wouldn’t let that opportunity pass.

_Goro Akechi: Did you go home early?_

He waited for a moment, moving to remove his uniform and headed for the shower. Normally, he’d wait a little bit and relax when he could, taking time to stop for coffee or make tea at home and read a book or watch old Featherman reruns, but he felt bothered today.

 

***

 

Goro settler beneath the steaming water, feeling his muscles relax underneath the heat. He leaned against the glass, the cold adding a nice contrast to the warmth. He was painfully hard at that moment. Oh, but he had to think about what he wanted.

Of course, he wanted Akira, but why now? Why had his body just jumped at the opportunity to be pleasured? Was it because Goro finally knew he had a chance, could make his fantasies real? Oh, yes, his fantasies. He really had to stop overthinking.

Goro shut his eyes, hand settling on himself. Would he be on top or on the bottom? What would Akira want? He thought about his cheek being rubbed against the rough wall of Leblanc’s attic, about the weight of Akira on his back and the wet kisses that left hickeys on every area his lips touched. He wanted to be marked, show everyone that he wasn’t as innocent as they thought he was.

He pictured Akira on his knees, staring up at Goro with dark eyes conveying emotion. Goro wanted to make him react. He imagined tangling his fingers in those wild curls, pushing him down, down, right into his throat. The gagging, he’d choke on Goro.

Teeth would tug at skin, leaving bruised bite marks beneath the kisses. Goro moaned, stroking himself just a little faster. Nearly, so close, so far.

Would Akira be the type to choke? Spank? Would he degrade the detective or praise him? Goro couldn’t decide if he wanted his hair stroked softly or ripped from his scalp. Oh, he just wanted more. More, more, more. He felt himself tense up, he was close.

With a final, small movement, he came all over his hand, the cum immediately washing away under the cooling water. Goro turned up the heat.

 

***

 

Goro finished up his shower, wringing his wet hair out in a towel. He had been in there for over an hour and Akira hadn’t responded to his messages. Not even asking for what flower it was. Was he avoiding Goro? He shouldn’t be avoiding him unless he knew he got caught.

Well, Goro thought, at least he had confirmation of guilt. Poor, poor Akira Kurusu didn’t think things through. It was his fault in the end.

Goro felt cheated, somehow, he didn’t have a grand deduction, though he knew he would have never accepted any suspicion against Akira. Dammit, it was so obvious.

_Goro Akechi: Akira, are you alright?_

He knew the answer, of course, but he could have his fun. Still no response. Futaba never sent him receipts, so he assumed that Akira had told her not to. Goro was getting slightly annoyed.

Goro pulled out his laptop, scouring for red flowers on the internet. He clicked on them alphabetically, stopping once he saw the image for a Red Camellia. It was perfect.

You’re a flame in my heart, innate warmth, alas my poor heart.

Goro blushed, frowning at the words. He’s such a sap, a sap who needs to stop ignoring Goro! The brunette groaned, throwing himself face first into his bed, only turning to watch TV in his room when he felt like breathing. Shouldn’t Akira be happy? Was he just being messed with? Ugh, this was why Goro didn’t bother with people!

Goro flopped to his phone, scrolling up the messages to Akira before groaning loudly. “Bastard!” He yelled into his pillow, “I’ll show him!” Goro glared at his closet throwing off his pajamas and digging through his clothes. He normally looked formal, so he’d dress down to seem more casual.

This had been a bad idea. Goro had on olive green pants and a light blue and pink shirt. He looked so normal. Hell, he didn’t even know he had normal clothes that still fit him. He tugged on his shoes, regular ones that weren’t fancy in any way! Goro grinned maliciously at his mirror. He looked good!

He called Sae for the final nail in the coffin.

“Akechi-kun,” she said when she answered, “What can I help you with?”

“Ah, Sae-san, I’d like us to meet for coffee and catch up! I need to get back at someone, if that’s alright. Leblanc in about twenty minutes?” Goro knew she’d agree; Sae was nearly as vindictive as him.

“Of course,” she laughed, “May I ask who you want to get revenge on?”

“The barista, Akira Kurusu, hasn’t responded to my messages and I can only assume that he’s ignoring me.” Goro was already leaving his apartment, weaving through the crowd to the train station. “I know he isn’t busy. He‘s at Leblanc every day and he even messages me back during class. The nerve of him!”

“Wow,” Sae said, “You like him, don’t you?”

“Of course I do!” Goro glowered, “That’s why I’m so mad and—and I got humiliated at school because of him, I need justice for that.”

Sae only hummed, saying a quick goodbye and hanging up. Goro just took a seat on the train, tying up his hair and looking out the window. Luckily, only a few girls wanted autographs, taking pictures with him and complimenting the new look. Goro only smirked. He knew he looked good. The skater look fit his normally formal way of dress, but he felt comfortable.

The backstreets were empty, as usual, but there was a small weight in the air. A goth looking woman in a white doctor’s coat glanced at him, blinking before a smirk crossed over her face. So, that was the boy Akira complained about.

Goro walked right by her, opening the door and listening to the quiet jingle. The older man who owned the café, Sojiro Sakura, raised a brow at him, eyes going towards the stairs. “Ah, Sakura-san,” Goro smiled, “May I have a chai latte?”

“Yeah, sure,” the man shrugged, “You here to see Akira?” Goro shrugged, smiling idly. “Ah, just to relax?”

“Of course,” Goro said, “I’m also meeting to catch up with Sae-san, one of my coworkers.” The teen paid for his drink, taking a seat at the booth to face the stairs. He wanted Akira to see him when he came down the stairs. A few of his bangs and strands framing his face and giving a casual look despite how much effort he put into making sure everything was perfect.

The bell jingled again, signifying the arrival of the prosecutor. She ordered a simple coffee and took a seat across Goro. “Very casual,” she tilted her head, “He must mean a lot of you broke out a t-shirt and colored pants.” Goro only sipped his drink, winking. “What’s the plan?”

“I... didn’t think it through.”

“Jesus Christ,” she sighed, “Why don’t you just go over to him and talk?”

“Do you know who I am?” Goro rolled his eyes, “No way! I’m going to act and look good and ignore him like he’s ignoring me. It’s only fair.”

“You are an actual child.” Sae took a slow sip of her coffee. “Go talk to him.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No!”

Sae looked at Sojiro, brows raised. “Tell Kurusu-kun to watch over the store and go out to buy groceries. You owe me.” Sojiro sighed, walking up the stairs with slow steps. “You’re welcome, Akechi-kun.”

Sojiro was downstairs with Akira a short minute later, strolling right out of the store and going towards the small store nearby. Akira stood at the counter, sleeves rolled up and apron on. Goro knew that he was being checked out.

“I don’t know, Akechi-kun,” Sae swirled her drink, “The new intern at work is pretty cute and friendly. You may like him.” Goro chuckled, playing along easily.

“Oh, but he’s older than I am. I have no idea what I’m meant to do.” Leblanc was silent, so Goro knew that his conversation was heard. “I’m a little disheartened, though. Relationships never work out well for me because of my busy work schedule.” He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.

“You should put yourself out there,” Sae smirked, “Don’t hold yourself back. Hey, you’ve been getting mystery gifts at school, so why not go after that person?”

Goro rolled his eyes. “Please, I refuse to do anything until they decide to grow some balls.” Vulgarity was out of character for Goro in public, but he knew it caught Akira’s attention. “Plus, I’m so busy at night with my own company.”

Sae glared at him. “I don’t need to know about that! Christ!” This time, Goro knew Akira heard. The cups clattered as he dropped them, spilling coffee all over the counter and yelping at the glass shattered. Sae was still glaring.

“Oh, Akira,” Goro jumped up, “Are you alright?” He rushed around the counter, barely containing a smirk as he took a cloth and wiped up the counter.

“Y-Yeah! Yeah, no, I’m good, don’t worry. Just, uh, just some butterfingers.” Oh, he was awkward now. Goro watched Akira’s dark eyes trail over his outfit, taking in the sight of his bright red face and parted lips. The barista blinked, trying to his hide eyes with his bangs, but, oh, Goro wanted to see his eyes.

The first attempt of embarrassing Akira was a success. The next would be at school, but what would Goro do? He’d need to sleep on it. Though, he knew that planting the seed of dirty thoughts in Akira’s head was going to be an advantage.


	9. Balsamine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goro and Akira speak on the rooftop, flirting without much closure. Akira’s still awkward, but Goro uses that to his advantage of embarrassing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter’s pretty inappropriate, with Goro saying dirty things, so I’ll put a chapter summery if someone doesn’t want to read them.

When Goro walked down the halls of Shujin the next day, he wondered if Akira would continue placing flowers on his desk or if he had given up. No matter, he wouldn’t rush unless someone decided to push his buttons. Akira never responded to any of his messages. Was he getting over Goro? Was he beginning to lose hope?

No, Akira wasn’t that type of person. He would bother Goro to the ends of the earth, but Goro wouldn’t let him give up. The teen had to have his revenge.

Goro matched up to the rooftop, ignoring the whispers, ignoring the questions, he just went up the dark stairs and threw open the door. Somebody was always up here.

Sure enough, Ryuji, Ann, and Shiho were sitting and talking. The faux blonde was leaning back in his chair while mindlessly sipping on a juice box. Ann grinned at Goro, waving him over with a pale hand as Shiho watched the students in the courtyard.

“I believe Akira is avoiding me,” Goro said as he sat down, “none of my messages were returned and he never said hello when I went to Leblanc with Sae. I even wore my regular clothes...”

“Aw yeah, I saw ya walkin’ down the street and didn’t even recognize ya!” Ryuji almost yelled, “but it ain’t like he’s ignorin’ ya, prolly, but just go talk to him.”

“I can’t seem to find him anywhere around campus and when I do, he walks the other direction. It’s childish, though I can deal with it.” Oh, the look Akira would give him when they made eye contact was something Goro wanted to see more of. For a ‘violent delinquent’, he sure seemed afraid of confrontation. How obvious could he even make it?! Why did he leave hints if he wasn’t going to accept defeat?

Shiho glanced back to the group. “Corner him.”

Goro tilted his head, almost smiling. That was a good idea, though... “I don’t know his schedule well enough.” Shiho only smiled, walking over to sit next to Ann.

“Well, Goro,” Shiho smirked, a look that seemed out of place on her mind face, “Akira’s planning on skipping third class and hiding out on the roof. He’s going to be alone.”

“Well, well,” Ann grinned, “It seems you have a hint into his schedule, Goro. Oh, but pretend that it’s coincidence, yeah! Or maybe just be obvious, I dunno.”

“Just walk up to him and be like ‘yo, why’re you ignoring me’,” Ryuji yelled, kicking his yellow sneakers up on the table, “Be direct, y’know.” Goro nodded, slowly picking himself up and excusing himself for class. He would skip today. Goro never skipped!

Delinquents are in no place to influence him.

Goro’s desk was empty when he got to class, leaving whispers about whether or not Goro had rejected the admirer. He sat down quietly, ignoring the burning in his chest. Why? Why had Akira skipped on it today? Why did he care so much? Was it over? Was it over before it ever started?

Goro didn’t want their relationship to end on ‘almost’.

Makoto smiled at him from across the room, mouthing something g before waving towards the door. Now? It was only first, but Goro asked to be excused for a ‘detective case that just came in’. Makoto only winked at him on the way out.

The hallways were never this empty, never had so much room to run and jump and play childish games or gave off the horror vibe. Sometimes Goro hated the urban legends.

He made his way up the stairs, staying calm to seem like he wasn’t doing anything wrong. Eventually, the dark staircase to the roof was in view, with mops perched on the walls and equipment stacked near the door. Was this a mistake?

Goro peeked through the glass. Sure enough, Akira was leaning on the railing, wind blowing through his hair as Morgana perched himself on the table. He looked so serene. Goro took a deep breath, pushing open the roof doors and feeling the wind blow through his own hair. Akira glanced over at him, face blank before turning back to look over the school’s entrance.

Goro took a second to find his voice. “You’ve been avoiding me.” It shouldn’t have been that hard, but, oh god, he had no idea what he was supposed to say in this situation.

“Have I?”

Goro couldn’t help but glare. He wanted to storm out, but he took steps closer, leaning on the same railing a little ways away from Akira. “You ignored my messages. I thought you were braver than this.”

“I’m not a very brave person,” Akira chuckled, “I’m just very stupid and impulsive, huh.”

“You are,” Goro sighed, “though, it’s a good balance to see. I don’t usually see many people like that.” It was nice to see Akira again, so easy to speak to, but Goro wanted to get revenge. “Now that I think about it, you weren’t very subtle.”

“I’m anything but subtle,” Akira smiled, “but for a detective, you aren’t very observant at all.” Goro laughed a little, shaking his hair from his eyes even when the wind just blew it back into his face. “I was going to leave something on your desk, but I couldn’t bring myself to.”

“I can see that now.” Goro looked over at Akira, eyes meeting. He couldn’t bring himself to look away. “I’m a bit torn on what I’m meant to do right now.”

“What do you want to do?”

Goro glanced back to the ground below before looking over at Akira. He took slow steps towards him, just so he could speak in a whisper. Their noses almost touched. “I really, really,” Goro tilted his head, “really want to throw you off this roof for embarrassing me in public multiple times.”

“Very vindictive.” Lips almost touching, breath mingling. “But I don’t think that’s the right way to go about it.”

“I don’t deal with things that easily,” Goro smirked, “Why shouldn’t I toss you over?”

“You’d miss me too much, Honey.” Akira held his hand between them, flowers held in his fist. Some light pink flowers, small ones that Goro almost smiled at. “Balsamine, for impatience. I don’t like waiting too much.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Goro’s voice was barely above a whisper, hand taking the flowers, brushing against Akira’s hand. “Tell me, Kurusu, what’s keeping you from pushing me against this railing? Nobody’s up here, everyone’s in class, and I know for a fact that you want me. Afraid?”

“Terrified, honestly.”

Why had they danced around each other in the first place? Goro could feel his laugh on his lips, but he didn’t make a move. No, he couldn’t be the first to break. This was a game and he wasn’t going to lose. “Then be impulsive.”

“What do you think I should do, Honey?”

Goro leaned over to whisper in his ear, sliding his arms over Akira’s shoulders and pressing their chests together. He was sure that Akira could feel his pounding heart as he could feel Akira’s. Goro pressed his lips to Akira’s ear. “I think you should make me forget everything except your name, but that wouldn’t be appropriate for me to say, would it?” Akira’s hands were on his hips, but Goro wanted them lower. He’s accept it for now.

“No, I don’t think it’d be,” Akira whispered back, “but I don’t think it matters.”

Goro pulled back, smug. “Oh, but it would be so hot. Everyone is in class, oblivious to the roof. The risk of someone walking in or going outside and seeing my face flushed. They’d be confused. Don’t you agree?” Akira gulped. “I’d like that a lot. Imagine making me scream so loud that someone comes to check and all we can do is get in trouble. Maybe to save that, you’d take my tie and shove it down my throat or muffle me with your cock, huh?”

“I... um.” Akira was breathless, but Goro knew to continue. He buried his face into Akira’s neck, kissing the skin softly. “G-Goro, I—“

Goro chuckled. “I usually don’t say please, but I’d get on my knees to beg... and for other things.” He felt for Akira’s hands, guiding them to his bottom, feeling them tighten. Goro smirked and leaned closer. “It’s unfortunate that I’m a little pissed right now, or else I would’ve let it happen.”

The detective shoved him back, watching the boy stumble and nearly fall on the ground. Akira blinked up at him, glancing down at his own crotch before back at Goro. “Wha...?”

“Have fun dealing with that by yourself, perverted bastard.” Goro winked before walking away, swaying his hips a little more to ensure that Akira was watching. Now, he’d have those thoughts swimming around his mind all day.

Embarrassment number two was a success.

Goro maintained his face all the way to the bathroom, rubbing at the red and jumping up and down. He did it! He flirted! Oh, he was so proud! Akira, the oh so collected Akira, was so flustered that he couldn’t even form words.

He looked down at the Balsamine, holding it to his chest and smelling them. Poor Akira Kurusu, so awkward.


	10. Mauve Carnation

Akira went right to class after Goro left, jacket pulled lower than usual. Ann giggled at him when he walked into Kawakami’s class late. Kawakami only sighed at him before continuing her lesson. “I assume you met with Goro?” Ann whispered, eyes gleaming.

“Shut up.”

She snickered, turning back around and paying attention to class. Akira tried paying attention, he really did, but his mind kept drifting to Goro, to his face, his voice, his suggestions. It was so evil of him to do.

Why did Akira have to fall for that villain?

Morgana provides no comfort this time, only sleeping comfortably inside of Akira’s desk. Public humiliation?

Akira had only bumped into him once, though the flowers did start up some rumors... Was that really what Goro was upset about? He was way too petty, but he did it so beautifully that Akira couldn’t bring himself to be mad about it.

Public humiliation?

Akira could do a lot more than mere flowers if Goro really wanted public humiliation. He waited for the bell to ring, nearly bolting out of the room until Ann caught his sleeve. “Wait for me, idiot,” she said, packing up her things, “How was the hideout?”

The delinquent leaned against the desk, arms crossed, “Well, I got a raging hard on for most of class because Goro’s a vindictive little bastard.”

Ann laughed, “Oh?”

”I can’t believe I thought he was innocent, but he was talking way too dirty for that face. Well, he also said he wanted to throw me off the roof because I humiliated him, so I’m gonna find him in the hallway and do it even more.” Akira grinned, watching Ann’s eyes widen.

“He’s going to kill you... What are you planning?”

“Well, what goes around comes around, except this one will be a public spectacle. Of course, I’ll be risking my lacking reputation and he’ll get a boost of sympathy, but I’m going to corner him in the hallway and kiss him in front of everyone.” Ann snorted, nearly dropping her books on the floor.

“He’s really going to throw you off the roof. Maybe he’ll go home today and ruin you tomorrow. No! He’ll slap you and run home to escape rumors and then murder you tonight.” Ann finally finished, standing and walking out of the class with him despite the onslaught of whispers about them. She couldn’t believe it used to bother her.

“It’ll be worth it after what he pulled today.” Akira’s eyes caught on Ryuji, a smile forming at the sight of his best friend and partner in crime.

“Ryuji!” Ann said, hands on her hips, “Tell Akira to not do what he’s planning on doing!”

“Do it, dude.”

Ann slapped her forehead, groaning. She couldn’t even bring herself to grab Akira to make sure he lived through the school day. Akira was already running down the stairs to find Goro. Did he have a death wish? Maybe. Did he really care? Not even a little bit!

Akira nearly ran into a classmate before he spotted Goro’s hair in a crowd of girls. He felt the jealousy in his chest motivate him even more. They weren’t publicly friends yet, no first names. “Yo, Akechi!” He yelled, voice lower than usual to add to his delinquent status. A few girls actually flinched.

The detective turned around, barely able to smile at Akira before he was yanked forward. Oh god, this was a mistake. Akira couldn’t breathe once he kissed him, heart pounding so loud he couldn’t hear the gasps. Goro didn’t react, standing frozen with his arms limp in Akira’s hands.

Akira would have stayed there forever, but Goro wrenched his face away. The delinquent blinked. Did he really just do that? Goro’s eyes were dead when they stared up at Akira, face burning red and mouth agape, but he was pissed. Definitely pissed.

Ann was right, he’s going to die tonight.

“Holy shit,” a girl yelled, “Kurusu just kissed Akechi-San!”

Goro almost laughed, eyes finally gleaming with something that made Akira shiver. “Um, so,” Akira stammered, “H-How’s that for, uh, public... public humiliation?”

Goro wanted to strangle him, but all he did was smile. “Excuse me,” he said, way too happy, “I’m afraid that I don’t remember giving you consent, so I ask that you refrain from doing that again.”

So, they were going to play formalities, were they? Akira leaned closer, smirking like the bastard he was. “Sorry, honey, but delinquents and criminals don’t play by your rules.” Goro blinked, his smile fading. “Now, I suggest that you oughta use that pretty little mouth of yours for something useful.”

“That’s hardly appropriate,” said Goro, almost snarling, “I should take you in to Principal Kobayakawa, so you’re lucky that I can let things go.” It was like the crowd faded away.

“You’re one to talk about being appropriate, are you? I do love a feisty goody-two-shoes.”

“How unfortunate that feisty goody-two-shoes don’t like worthless delinquents.”

Akira winked at him, ruffling a hand through Goro’s hair before sauntering to the stairs. He had lunch to eat, after all. Goro turned on his heel, storming out of the building with a mumble about paperwork he had to finish up. No, no, he couldn’t get angry, he had a second-year to destroy.

Akira didn’t stop for anything until he got to the roof, releasing his held breath and panting against the door. His friends looked at him, looked at him like Ann had when he told her of his plans.

“It hasn’t even been ten minutes and there are so many videos on the school website and Twitter. Congratulations, you played yourself.” Ann held her phone up, scrolling through hundreds of posts before turning it back to herself. “And Goro looked so ready to kill you.”

“I didn’t think that’s what ya wanted ta do,” Ryuji said, “But I guess ya won’t be comin’ ya school once Goro gets to ya.”

“That really makes me feel better guys, thanks.” Akira trudged to a seat, taking a bag of chips off the table and laying his head down. “I should apologize, shouldn’t I?”

“This is Goro we’re talking about,” Haru giggled, “he’ll want you to suffer before he accepts any apology.” She had Morgana in her lap, so at least Akira knew that the cat was the least of his worries now.

“Keep Morgana until I’m forgiven,” Akira sighed, “I need to make sure he’s in care and not catnapped.”

Akira was so dead.

~~~

That trash delinquent is dead.

Goro slammed his apartment door shut, face still red as he yelled into an empty room. How dare that worthless, dirty, attic trash assume he could just waltz up and do that to Goro?!

Oh, but he didn’t even let Goro kiss him back. Yeah, that was an even bigger dick move because Goro looked like he couldn’t even man up! Now what could he do?!

He tossed his plans off the coffee table, nearly flipped and shattering the glass in the process. Akira Kurusu would pay. He just wanted to claw his stupid gray eyes out, to shatter those glasses right into them and watch everyone take pictures. Who cares about his reputation?

...Who cares about Goro’s face?

The people like Ryuji and Ann and Haru don’t care, they wouldn’t care if he came up to them with a bloody nose and broken knuckles or if he showed up in full drag, they would still treat him the same. What was he doing?

Goro looked at the scattered plans, looked over at his bedroom and sighed. His box of memories was just as messy as the living room floor, a big wooden box filled with brass knuckles and diaries full of wrinkled pages and smudged ink. All of the things he tried to force to disappear were in there.

Goro sat on his carpet, heavy box in front of him and the latches unhooked and ready to be lifted. The first thing he saw was gauze, frayed and ripped from how harshly Goro would tear them apart. An old photo in a dusty frame, with his mother holding a grinning child covered in bruises. He remembered that day like it was yesterday. Getting expelled from elementary school in the first race was a big accomplishment.

Would Akira still want him with a reputation like that? With a past of expulsion and crime holding him down like a puppet master.

Dance, puppet, dance and show them you’re worth their coin.

The heavy lid slammed shut, with trembling hands holding it. Goro wanted a fight, really. He desired it, craved even. Goro bit his nail, feeling the soft strands of his long hair. It hadn’t been cut since he promised to be a good student and follow the rules.

He chuckled to himself, “Sorry, Mom.”

Goro headed straight for the bathroom, snatching scissors from the cabinet and grabbing at strands of his hair. He didn’t even want it that long anyway! It was just another method of seeming pleasant.

Pleasant boy, pleasant boy, why let the world watch your personal show?

Inch by inch, right until it was only right under his ear, Goro hacked off his hair. He watched the strands fall to the ground, pile on the sink with uneven levels. Goro stared at it, scissors placed on the marble near his hand. He looked just like he had when he met classmates in alleyways for a fight, when he himself was the biggest delinquent to ever walk the halls.

Akira walked with such a nonchalant attitude, not like the king of crooks he was, but Goro could see the pride in his eyes. Goro wanted to dethrone him.

The detective cleaned up his choppy hair, ruffling it until it was the perfect amount of poofy and messy combined. He felt off, though, as the lack of bandaids on his face threw off the reconstruction of the look. That needed to be fixed soon.

Goro boarded the first train to Shinjuku, busying himself with his phone as he waited for the train.

_Akira Kurusu: Sorry about today_

_Akira Kurusu: Wasn’t thinking_

_Goro Akechi: You’re not getting out unscathed._

_Akira Kurusu: Come at me, honey :P_

_Goro Akechi: I’m always up for a challenge, then. I’ll see to it that you lose with disgrace._

_Akira Kurusu: Lmao_

_Akira Kurusu: I’ll do anything for/with you hon_

_Akira Kurusu: See you tmrw_

_Akira Kurusu: Ima sleep_

Goro smiled at his phone, at the picture Akira had just sent him. The fluffy-haired twat was snuggling up to his pillows, no glasses on as he took the picture with his eyes closed. Goro just couldn’t help it, okay!

Midnight train rides were so empty, but Shinjuku was still as lively as it always was. Goro couldn’t help but grin, face shadowed by Akira’s hoodie. He had some things to get out of his system.

Goro approached the mouth of an alleyway, loud cheers and yelling attracted him, obviously. A circle of people watching a fight. It was perfect! Goro joined the crowd, pushing the the front and watching. Blood covered the ground, the men were covered in bruises and cuts.

Healthy ways to deal with anger included, but were not limited to: deep breaths, take a timeout, exercise, and practice relaxation skills.

Did fighting count as exercise? Of course not, but Goro didn’t care. It was better than getting expelled from Shujin. The fight ended with a knockout, the guy having to be dragged off.

“Who’s next, who’s next?!” Yelled the man with a wad of cash in his gold-covered hands. Goro stepped forward, draping the hoodie over a stray pipe before slouching down. “D-Detective—!”

“Don’t worry,” Goro smirked, eyeing the frozen crowd, “I’m a dirty cop around here.” A well-built older man entered the ring, grinning at Goro with yellowed teeth and hollow eyes. “You up for a fight?” This 

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you, kid.”

Perfect.

Goro usually didn’t hit first, but he didn’t think about strategies. He just wanted his heart to stop pounding, for his mind to stop drifting back to Akira, for everything to just let him sit in peace. Was that so hard to ask?

Goro’s forearm was hit away, a fist driving right into his jaw and throwing him off balance. Goro kept swinging, kept jumping around, keeping light on his feet as he tried to go from every possible angle. He was shorter, smaller and used that to his advantage.

The teen knew he couldn’t keep promises.

He was knocked back by a headbutt, shoved back by the crowd into a flurry of punches. Goro rolled around, kicking the man’s head and placing himself on top. Free hits now.

Goro wouldn’t have stopped bashing his face in if he hadn’t heard sirens and seen the blinking lights. He snatched the hoodie, throwing it on and booking it away with the crowd. The cops couldn’t get all of them.

His nose was bleeding, lip busted, bruised all over, but Goro felt liberated. He finally felt calm enough to think about what he had to do that day. Goro slouched against a wall, admiring his bloodied knuckles and aching wrists. It wasn’t going to get him expelled, so technically his promise wasn’t abandoned completely.

Go home, kid, he would be told almost every night, you won your fight, but your mom’s gonna get worried. You’re gonna do great things, don’t waste your time.

Goro dragged himself home.

His apartment door had a flower taped to it, a purple color with fluffy leaves and note attached to the stem. Did Akira really come over this late?

_Dear Goro,_

_I didn’t give you your flower today. Mauve carnation: Dreams of fantasy._

_~A_

He smiled, the dirty connotations settling in his mind as he opened the door. He left the gifts on the dining table. Goro took his gauze and medicine, wrapping his hands and placing bandaids on his face where the scrapes were. He looked just like he did before Tokyo, if only a little taller.

Goro crashed on his bed, exhausted from the night’s events. Akira would pay with his ‘dreams of fantasy’ and Goro would be charging him.


	11. Dahlia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me ? Gone for two months ? Again ??? Lmao sorry for the long wait.

Monday came faster than Goro had thought. He spent the weekend finding more places to fuck around, knuckles wrapped in bloody bandages and left wrist in a brace from his violence. He stared at the mirror, a small smile ghosting his face. Goro had gotten the best sleep he’s had since he moved, finally free from the weight of perfection. If someone had a problem with him, he could just start swinging like before.

Hell, Goro didn’t even bother wearing his uniform properly, wearing Akira’s black hoodie as a little ‘fuck you’ to Kobayakawa. He rolled his shoulders, slouching against his bag as he dragged himself to Shujin. He didn’t even bother covering up the bruises on his face, providing a sense of harshness and edge. Poor Akira would no longer be top delinquent in the ridiculous hierarchy of that shitty place.

Goro ran a hand through his unbrushed, short hair, catching his fingers in tangles as the wind blew through it. Shujin Academy never seemed so small and meaningless. Nobody recognized him with the hood up, so nobody bothered him. Maybe they thought he was new.

He grabbed a drink from the machine, taking a seat at the table he saw Makoto, Haru, Ann, and Shiho at. “Whoa,” Makoto breathed, “Goro? You look like... your middle school photo.”

Goro smiled, a half-smile that seemed a lot darker than he intended. “I suppose I’ve realized how little Shujin matters and how much I don’t give a damn about the student body.”

“You’re, uh, really expressing yourself in a different way. It’s nice.” Ann looked him over, cornflower eyes wide as she took in the bruises. “I’m glad you’re... realizing who you want to be.” Goro smiled at her, nearly wincing from his injuries. They never did get easier to deal with when fresh.

“I’m graduating soon,” Goro said, “so why bother? I’ve got a stable career and my own place, so obviously I have nothing to worry about. I may as well enjoy myself.” Goro stood up, bracing himself on the table as he stood. “I won’t be in class today, so cover me Mako.”

And he left.

Akira would be on the roof, but he wouldn’t be alone. Oh, he wanted to see his face when he saw Goro. The detective walked to the roof. He only wanted to mess with Akira, he told himself, it’s not like he just wanted to see him and talk to him and... fucking kiss him or anything like that. Of course not!

He almost threw open the door, hearing it slam against a piece of stored equipment. Eyes were on him in the halls, but he scowled and sent them running. Ryuji kicked his chair back so far it fell over, but Akira didn’t look at him. “Goro?”

“Akira.” The brunette waltzed over, a dark smirk plastered across his bruised face. “I’ve decided to give myself a hair cut. What do you think of it?”

“I—your face...”

“Street fights don’t have referees, honey,” Goro looked over him, breath mingling, “But I doubt it could beat some sort of... dirty fantasies you seem to carry about me.”

“Goro, I’m... I’m sorry for how I, um, acted.” It was too late for apologies, fool. Goro only grinned, leaning over the table with sharp eyes.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ve never felt better.” Ryuji got himself back up, coughing out the soda he choked on. Goro didn’t look that different, did he? “I came here to warn you, actually, because I’m going to dethrone you.”

“Dethrone me...?”

“As the delinquent with a criminal record, you are set as the student everyone is more afraid of than the rest—the king, I could say. As such, it is only fitting that I become the king because I deserve the title,” Goro said, standing up to sit on the table, “that means getting the student body to fear my name more than they fear yours. I do hope that you will accept your defeat when it comes.”

Ryuji laughed, hunching over the folding table and nearly spilling his drink. “Dude, people like ya too much to be afraid! You been here three years so everyone’s gonna assume it was Akira’s influence. You’re playin’ yourself.”

“It seems you don’t know very much about me, either of you.” Goro smirked down at them. “I was expelled from two elementary schools and four middle schools from different towns as my hometown only had one of each. The result was my mother sending me to Tokyo at the start eighth grade where I was only suspended multiple times. First year of Shujin was when I made a promise to my mother that I would behave myself. It would be convenient if my expulsion records were leaked to the gossip blog and destroyed all faith in Goro Akechi’s image, perhaps rumors will spread about my street fighting habit and violent tendencies. I’m a cop, I can shoot someone. Is it okay for someone who fights in alleyways for bets to be in such a prestigious academy?”

“How’d you get into Shujin in the first place?” Akira couldn’t help but ask, curiously staring at Goro.

“By the end of eighth grade, Sae Niijima has already met me and couched for my acceptance under the promise that as a detective in training, I would uphold heir rules.” Goro flexed his bruised hand, admiring his bruises. “Now I do believe that I’ll begin arguing with the teachers and threatening the student body, perhaps I’ll even start a few fights today and get suspended.”

“Goro,” Akira frowned, “Why?”

“I graduate soon, why bother with a reputation that won’t have any effect on me?” Goro ruffled his choppy hair, smirking down at Akira, “Do you like the new look?”

“I...” Oh, speechless, Goro found the look as something he wanted to see more of. Goro looked towards Ryuji, leaning back on his hands and smiling.

“What about you?”

“O-Oh, shit, well,” Ryuji said, fumbling with his drink, “Looks good, dude! Just try and be careful out there cuz, uh, people are kinda effed up.”

“Ryuji, the scariest thing in Shinjuku is me,” Goro frowned, “I’m a cop and I can arrest them at any second with authority to shoot if necessary, I’m invincible.”

“Damn crooked cops.”

Goro laughed, pushing himself off the table. “Well, it was nice speaking to you both, though you may find that the friendship you’ve offered me could crumble once you lose power. I’ll see you two around.” Goro waltzed off the roof, exhaling slowly once he was out of sight. It took so much of him to not jump on Akira or do something stupid and impulsive. Dammit! He thought that maybe, just maybe, reverting would make it easier to control himself!

Goro three the hood up, making his way through the hallway with a stern look on his face. Classmates eyed him, whispering things he never heard them whisper before. Oh, it felt good to be back. Now, it was time to intimidate them. Goro neared a trophy case, clenching his fist and driving his elbow through the glass. The whispers finally stopped.

“It’s rude to talk about people,” Goro grinned, “next person who gets on my nerves is gonna get some stitches, got it?” He reveled in the joy of their fear, shouldering someone out of his way to go to the bottom floor. He’d go to class for now.

“Goro-chan!” It was Haru, dear Haru, who called for Goro, beaming at him while waiting outside of his class. “I was a little off-put this morning, so I would like to tell you now that I’m glad you’re accepting yourself now, but I would like you to be careful and to come to me if you ever need anything!” Leave it to Haru to pull at Goro’s heart strings.

“Thanks, Haru,” Goro smiled, “I’m glad you aren’t trying to stop me.”

“The photos of you as a kid are a lot happier than you in Tokyo,” Haru said, “I don’t enjoy seeing you bruised, though. I hope that you won’t have to live in extremes all your life.”

“I’ll control myself, Haru-chan,” Goro patted her hair, “don’t worry about me. See you at lunch?” Haru nodded, walking off to her class.

Unsurprisingly, there was were flowers on Goro’s desk—eleven round shaped purple-pink flowers wrapped in a red string at the stem. Akira was definitely never going to stop, but he was glad. Eyes followed him, clinching away when he glared at them, but Goro continued on and placed them in his bag, careful not to break them. He wasn’t heartless.

Goro leaned his chair back, propping both feet on the desk and busying himself with his phone. He loved the eyes on him, spreading the rumors he wanted them to hear.

This would be a fun week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dahlia : elegance and dignity


	12. Bird’s-foot trefoil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fool ?? Not gone for 2 months ?????

Was it fair of Goro to attempt to destroy everything Akira had built? Probably not, but since when did Goro play fair? He already lined up five detentions from one teacher, egging his first one on with backtalk until he was kicked out of the classroom. His classmates only watched him, going on their phones to talk about the event while the teacher fumed. Makoto even shook her head at him.

Goro grinned, making his way up to the school rooftop with a small plan in mind. He would throw Akira off with a few messages. It was early, meaning he was most likely in Kawakami’s class, according to Ann, and she allows Akira to do whatever he pleases. He leaned against the door to the roof, opening up his messages with Akira. There were very few casual ones and that had to change.

Goro Akechi: I‘m horny ;)

That would fluster Akira for sure! He laughed, pushing the door open with his body weight and almost bouncing over to the tables. He had nothing better to do for the class period. Akira had seen the message.

Akira Kurusu: What he hell

Akira Kurusu: the

Akira Kurusu: I’m in class !!

Goro Akechi: I was kicked out. Step up your game, attic trash.

Akira Kurusu: Why ?!?!

Goro Akechi: It’s trivial. I wonder if you’re a top or a bottom.

It took a minute for Akira to respond after seeing it. Oh, Goro could imagine the look he had! He was probably bright red, eyes darting around the classroom in hopes that nobody could see what he had on his screen. Goro almost wanted to walk over to 2-D and see for himself.

Akira Kurusu: Top...

It was unsurprising to Goro, rather good news even, though Goro could go for both. He smirked, kicking his feet up on a chair and pondering his next move. It was like a game of chess. Goro had to get through the pawns to get to the king, but the pawns were down and he had very few moves left. Akira needed to be cornered. How lovely that Akira wasn’t bright enough to avoid traps.

Goro Akechi: Wonderful. Would you like to help me out, then? I would hate to have to find someone else to help get me off. ;)

If Akira was the jealous type, it would play to Goro’s advantage and he’d get a win, but if he wasn’t then Goro would have to push him until he gave in. Either way, Goro would win and Akira would lose. Maybe he could even have a scandal in the school! Leaking his nudes, spread rumors about shady escorting in Shinjuku, just ruin his reputation that he worked so hard to build.

Akira Kurusu: I’m not in Kawakami

Akira Kurusu: I cant get out

Akira Kurusu: ;-;

Goddammit. Goro frowned at his phone. Perhaps he could make it so hard for Akira to maintain his composure, that he’d have to go through class distracted. Goro glanced around the rooftop, easily undoing his pants with his back towards the door. He didn’t want to get caught. Akira would most definitely get flustered! Goro grinned. He was already pretty hard, pumping his hand a little to make it harder. Thinking about Akira really did that to him, thinking about how he could break him down was a lot better.

-Goro Akechi sent a photo.-

Goro Akechi: But I want you :(

Akira almost slammed his phone against the desk, startling a resting Morgana. He slouched down, angling himself so the kid next to him couldn’t see his phone. Goro was insane! Akira shifted his legs, licking his suddenly dry lips.

“Ms. Usami,” Akira raised his hand, “May I use the bathroom? Please?” She glared at him, shaking her head and continuing her lesson. Akira frowned, looking back at the picture Goro sent.

Akira Kurusu: I thought you wanted me dead

Akira Kurusu: But I want you too :(((

Akira Kurusu: Usami wont let me leave

Goro Akechi: Aw. I’m going home, Makoto’s going to tell our teachers I’m sick and had to leave.

Akira sighed, sending him an emoji and leaning on the desk. It was a few more minutes until Akira could look out the window and see Goro leave. Usami continued talking about the golden ratio compared to the silver ratio, but Akira couldn’t bring himself to focus. It was strange.

Goro Akechi had gone from a sweet, polite, and overall fake perfect student with long hair and a smile on his face all the time to a delinquent with chopped, messy hair that stuck up unbrushed, his face had purple marks and his knuckles swollen. He was less fake, the looks on his face pure Goro. Akira put his head down, propping up his binder to hide it.

Akira woke up two classes later with Hiruta babbling on about something he didn’t care about. He checked his phone. A few memes in the group chat... Ryuji complaining about class... oh, Goro!

Goro Akechi: I’m home

Luckily, that was only a few minutes ago, so Akira didn’t feel bad for not replying. He quickly typed out a response.

Akira Kurusu: Welcome home honey

Akira Kurusu: Lmao

Goro Akechi: I’m still hard. ;)

Akira blushed, rubbing his cheek and slumping down to hide his phone. He never expected Goro to be so... dirty all the time. He thought Goro was more innocent than that!

Akira Kurusu: I won’t be able to get out of class !

Akira Kurusu: Even if I could I don’t wanna get off in a school bathroom :/

Goro Akechi: How about we play a game? ;)

-Goro Akechi sent a photo.-

Akira had to cover his mouth, ears turning red and blush trailing down his neck. The photo was of Goro, a lower angled photo to capture his naked torso. There were bruises, a few scars from his job, and abs prominent. Goro’s mouth was open, a black fabric tied around his head and resting between his white teeth. His eyelids were lowered, staring into the camera. Akira could see a hint of a smile.

Akira Kurusu: ...

Goro Akechi: I wish you were here :(

Goro Akechi: Would you like to pick a toy?

Akira bit his lip, staring at the latest photo. Goro... Sweet, kind, vindictive Goro Akechi had a big box of different, colorful sex toys on what Akira assumed was his bed. There was a ball gag, ropes, beads, plugs, and various sized dildos and vibrators. What the hell?! He could imagine Goro in Shinjuku, buying everything in discreet bags without questions, maybe stuffing them in other bags to mask it. One of them, a pink vibrator, was almost the same size as Akira’s own dick, an inch or two smaller. Fine, Goro Akechi, he’d bite.

Akira Kurusu: The pink one

Akira Kurusu: Vibrator

Akira Kurusu: It’s almost like mine ;)

Goro Akechi: Okay, get some headphones ready.

Wait, what. Akira ground his teeth, glancing over at Ann and then at the people around him. He asked Hiruta if he could use the bathroom, almost tripping over Ann’s bag on his rush out. Yeah, he couldn’t maintain his composure. He almost ran to the bathroom, hoping that none of his classmates saw his hard-on. Especially Ann! Akira’s heart stopped. Futaba bugged his phone!

Big brother: Futaba !!

Big brother: Please please PLEASE don’t look at my phone today

Hackerman: Hiding something ????

Big brother: It’s Goro...

Hackerman: LMAO OKAY

Hackerman: YOU GO BRO ILL CLEAR YOUR SHOT OFF MY PHONE

Akira signed, locking the bathroom door to keep anyone else from coming in. He didn’t want anyone walking in on him jacking it in a stall like a desperate delinquent. He was one, but he didn’t want to get busted. He paced around, rubbing himself beneath his waistband at the pictures Goro sent. So many people would kill for them—and Akira was so lucky to have won him over!

Akira was so screwed, falling for a guy like Goro Akechi. He rested his forehead against the wall, glancing at his reflection. Why couldn’t he just send a few pictures back? Akira undid his jacket, tossing it on the sink and pulling his turtleneck over his head. Based on what he could tell, Goro kept getting flustered over his tattoos, losing his own composure. Akira grinned.

He leaned against the sinks, making sure his photo got in his tattoos, abs, and his hand down his pants. Just for Goro. He sent it, chuckling to himself. Goro saw it, responding with a five minute video.

Akira bit his lip, plugging in his headphones and opening it up. Goro was frowning, shirtless as he tried to prop up the phone. “You better get off to this, attic trash. This propping up shit is starting to piss me off.” Akira smiled, anything could piss off Goro. The detective groaned sitting back on his huge bed. If Akira was impressed by anything, it was a big king sized bed with posts and a canopy.

 

~~~

 

 

Goro was lazily stroking himself, keeping perfect composure. How the hell did he manage that?! Akira watched with wife eyes as he sucked on his fingers. Akira unbuttoned his pants, pulling his dick out of his underwear. Shit, how did Goro manage to look so good? So innocent yet so evil at the same time... Goro slid his wet fingers between his legs, pushing two in at once and biting down on his lip. Why was he quieting himself? Akira groaned, hoping that he could watch him unravel. Oh. That was his plan, wasn’t it? To make Akira impatient and tease him. Evil bastard!

Goro gulped, rushing to stretch himself out so he could hurry and get the toy in. He hadn’t used it yet, intimidated by its size, but if Akira said it was ‘almost’ the same size, implying that it was smaller, Goro had to do it. He added a third finger, never really going past two. Most of his toys were unused, mostly because Goro was scared, but Akira didn’t have to know that. He leaned his head forward, panting and moaning while he struggled.

Akira smiled—he wasn’t fooling anyone. Goro was obviously inexperienced, struggling to take three fingers when he acted like he could take anything. Akira licked his lips, twisting his wrist a bit. He didn’t want to close his eyes, didn’t want to miss what Goro would do next.

Goro poured lube into his hand, legs shaking a bit, lathering it over the silicon and smiling at the camera. “You’re... You’re observant, Akira,” he smiled, “I’ve never gone past two fingers. I’m excited. I don’t want to disappoint. Won’t you tell me I’m good?” Akira groaned, biting his lip.

“So good,” Akira mumbled, “so, so good—fuck!” Goro was pushing it in, screwing his eyes shut and letting out a high pitched whine. Akira’s breath caught. He didn’t know Goro could make those sounds, but, oh, he wanted to hear more. “Holy shit, fuck...” Goro’s eyes welled up with tears, pushing the toy halfway in and slumping forward.

“I dunno if I can—ah—do this... Aki, please!” Aki. That was new. He wanted Goro to beg more, wanted to be there to make sure he lost all control and composure. That brat was so high and mighty about dethroning Akira, but he just wanted Akira. “I’m gonna... I’m gonna try and...” Goro pushes it in further, shaking and forcing it in until he got it all. Akira’s eyes widened. He must be in pain! Goro whimpered,moving to turn it on.

Akira heard the sound of the vibrations, immediately drowned out by Goro crying out. He twisted it, Akira following the movement with his own hand. Shit, he was close. Goro was too hot, too cute.

“I-I don’t think I’m gonna last... I’m sorry, Aki—agh!” Goro fucked himself slowly, carefully. He shut his eyes tightly, mouth falling open with his head back. Akira watched him cum, following suit a few moments later. Holy shit, holy shit. Goro pulled out the toy, wet with lube, and whimpered. “Sorry it’s short... I hope—hope you enjoyed.”

 

~~~

 

It cut off there. Akira couldn’t breathe, snapping a quick photo and sending it to Goro.

Akira Kurusu: Thanks ;)

Goro Akechi: I win this time. See you soon, Akira.

Akira Kurusu: You called me Aki !!

Goro Akechi: ...

Akira Kurusu: Don’t stop doing that

Akira Kurusu: But maybe keep it in the bedroom ;)

Akira Kurusu: I’ll probably get hard every time you say Aki

Goro Akechi: I’m glad, then.

Akira Kurusu: I’m coming over. I haven’t gotten your flower to you.

Akira Kurusu: I’ll bring sushi

Goro smiles at his phone, fluffing the new blanket on his bed and tucking his freshly clean toys under his bed. His apartment was clean, so he had no worries. Oh, he could get some movies out and some games... He glanced at the bedroom. He didn’t have any condoms. He grinned maliciously.

Goro Akechi: And condoms. ;)

Goro laughed, jumping on the couch. He barely got the toy in before it ended, so how would he manage with Akira? The detective notified Sae that was unavailable for the day and told Makoto that he was fine and would take care of himself.

He felt like a giddy schoolgirl, getting hyper that Akira was coming over! He hadn’t had someone over since he moved! Goro quickly looked around his apartment—was it clean enough? Of course, he was being crazy, Akira lived in a dusty attic in a café, so Goro didn’t need to worry about the state of his expensive, high-rise with a view. He was so high up that nobody would be able to see through the huge windows and he could do whatever he wanted near them without worry. He even had heated floors!

He quickly looked over his sweatpants and featherman shirt. He looked cute, with a headband pushing his hands back and the clothes being a bit too big for him. Though, he wasn’t going to change from comfort just for Akira. Conveniently, he just got a message.

Akira Kurusu: Can I sleep over ??

Goro Akechi: Yes.

Goro had never had a sleepover before! He couldn’t stop grinning, holding a couch pillow in his lap while putting on some cartoons while he waited. He would never admit out loud that he loved children’s shows and such. He was a detective, but that meant nothing! Goro had never had friends before Tokyo, so he couldn’t keep himself from being happy. Dammit, he felt like a child.

Briefly, he wondered if Akira would want to build a fort. He always felt envious when kids would talk about it. Goro twirled a strand of hair between his fingers, feeling the locks catch on the brightly colored bandaids. He couldn’t say he liked his long hair.

Akira knocked on the door a half hour later, a plastic bag of sushi and drinks in his hand. Goro had to stop himself from running over, taking a deep breath to compose himself and opening the door. “Come on in,” He smiled pleasantly.

“You know, the lady at the desk almost didn’t tell me where your apartment was,” Akira said, “I guess she thought I was just another one of your adoring fans.” Goro chuckled, returning to the couch and settling with a pillow in his lap. Akira set the sushi on the table, taking it out of the bag. “I didn’t know what you wanted, so I went and got salmon and California rolls.”

“Lucky you, I love both,” Goro smiled. He took up his chopsticks, watching Akira mix the wasabi and ginger. His face scrunched. “Gross, I can’t believe you like that stuff.”

“Can’t handle heat?” Akira asked, twisting a piece of sushi in the mixture. Goro shook his head. Akira had he audacity to laugh! “What kind of wannabe delinquent can’t take wasabi?”

“You’re more of a wannabe than I am,” Goro frowned, eyes trailing over Akira, “You’re a wannabe goody-goody, aren’t you? You wanna be seen as friendly and approachable despite what you really are. Delinquent, criminal trash.”

“Only for you, Goro Akechi.” Curse him! Goro only smirked, stuffing a piece of sushi in his mouth. “Let’s watch something.”

“Pick whatever.” Goro had to keep himself from bouncing on the couch from joy. He had never had anyone over before, only Sae Niijima for some coffee or tea, but never like this!

“Oh, here!” Akira dug into his bag for a small bouquet of flowers. He grinned at Goro and handed it to him. “Bird’s-foot trefoil for revenge. You aren’t going to win anything.”

“I always win,” Goro smirked, taking a long smell of the flowers. That poor idiot was delusional.


End file.
